A Bella Coola family is back in Williams Lake searching for answers about their son Carl Schooner Jr., reported missing from Williams Lake on Dec. 6, 2022.
"We've received some new information," said the missing man's father, Carl Schooner Sr. on Monday, Sept. 30. "We are thankful to Williams Lake people for the information they have given us. People are opening up for us to get closer to closure."
The family arrived in Williams Lake on Thursday, Sept. 26, to follow up on some leads and actually found a T-shirt they are certain belonged to Carl Jr.
Sharing a photograph of the T-shirt on his phone, Carl Sr. also shared a photograph of Carl Jr. wearing the specific T-shirt.
"His younger brother is the one who found it," Carl Sr. said. "He picked it up and said, 'this is Juniors.'"
Mukwa Bear, an Ojibway man from White Dog First Nation north of Kenora, Ont., devotes his time to tracking and searching missing people all across Canada.
He was in the Williams Lake area helping the family search in early 2023 and has recently returned to help them again.
He told Black Press Media he spent eight months searching for Carl Jr., and part of that involved walking the entire length of both sides of the Fraser River from the Rudy Johnson Bridge, north of Williams Lake, all the way south to Dog Creek First Nation.
"I've helped 21 families get closure," Mukwa said of his successes with tracking.
For his efforts he only asks for lodging and enough grub to give him energy for searching for loved ones, he said, adding First Nations Health Authority did provide some gas money for the family, for which they are all grateful.
A couple in the Williams Lake area have also been hosting the Schooners at their home when they need a place to stay.
"What gets me is that this family's 13-year-old son and 14-year-old nephew are out there searching too," said Mukwa. "They are doing a man's job and are just children."
Carl Sr. said while they are thankful for the information from people in Williams Lake, sometimes it has been difficult because they have been told "so many night-marish stories," about what happened to Carl Jr.
"It is also such a vast area to search," he added.
Williams Lake RCMP confirmed Tuesday, Oct. 1, the investigation is ongoing and encouraged anyone with "credible and comprehensive" information about the case to please contact the detachment at 250-392-6211.
"The RCMP and the family would love to receive that information," said Cpl. Phil Charron, General Investigation Section (GIS).
At the time of his disappearance, Schooner was 30-years-old.
He was described as Indigenous, weighing 161 pounds, with short black hair, brown eyes and a tattoo that said Rosa on his right forearm.
He had no cell phone or vehicle and was last seen wearing a black hoodie.
"Not knowing where your child is is the worst thing parents can go through," Carl Sr. said, adding he wanted to get the message out to people to help one another because too many people are disappearing.
