UPDATE 2: Day 18 since the disappearance of Wally Dunn.
A big thank you to all who expressed their wishes of support and to those indicated that they were praying for my family. It means a lot to me.
Through my talking to people in area, a few claimed that they may have seen my father in the Big Lake area. Two eye-witnesses believed that they saw my dad in Big Lake IGA. Jerry Hill, the IGA manager, very kindly permitted me to view the surveillance video for as long as I needed and for two days that was my job. Evidently, the witnesses saw other older gentlemen whom they thought was Wally Dunn. That showed to me the limited value of sightings by people who had never met my dad, unfortunately. I only heard of the Montana Creek after returning to Ontario. But the quality of this sighting may not be better than the ones that we already knew about.We had a family meeting Wednesday evening and decided that the media saturation in Alaska sufficed that the majority of people in the State and practically everyone in the Big Lake Region knew about Wally Dunn’s disappearance, we decided there was little left to do. If he is in the wilderness, he has no chance of living after seven days without food. I checked numerous cabins and RVs in the area to see if he had stowed away in them, spoke with many people who have cabins and residences at Crooked Lake and Papoose Twins. On the other hand, if he is at large in the State, someone would see him and report him. All we can do is see if he shows up. But since reviewing the surveillance at Big Lake IGA, I have no verifiable evidence that my father ever left the wilderness area where people saw his truck on July 12, 2012, at approximately 2:00 pm. His disappearance remains a mystery. On Thursday afternoon, I flew back to Toronto, arriving Friday morning. I am finally caught up sufficiently on my rest to make this report.
My sudden trip to Alaska has made me acutely aware how the so-called “Ex Patriot Act”, against which I wrote in the American Thinker but still manages to kick around, and the so-called “Reed Amendment”, are pieces of crap legislation by politicians who think that human rights violations are a means of covering over their own immoral and incontinent spending habits. If I were a covered expatriate and had been banned from the United States because of my expatriation, it would have been cruel and unusual punishment both to me and to my family. It is a crime to punish people with permanent exile for exercising their fundamental right to expatriate, protected by the US Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the US Expatriation Act of 1868.
UPDATE 1, Day eight of Wally Dunn’s disappearance:
Border: I passed US formalities in Vancouver. I was asked why I was going to the US. Once I mentioned that it was to search for my father who was missing I received a concerned look and a good luck. The officer did not ask for my CLN. I did not volunteer it. My impression is that for now, if a vocal person like myself has nothing to fear, the vast majority of the rest of us have even less to worry about.
Search: On Tuesday night my Dad’s friend Les found my dad’s pick-up at the end of “The road to nowhere” as the locals call it (erroneously called Goldsteak Dr., Big Lake, AK, by Google Maps). It ends in a cul de sac. Trails in four directions into the forest, leading in most cases to impassable muskeg and swamps. The whole area has an insane amount of mosquitos. The Alaska State Troopers have been leading a search and rescue effort that includes helicopter support (for two days), volunteer and professional search and rescue teams with dogs. On July 18, volunteers from both the civilian population and thirty soldiers from a company from Fort Richardson. They did line searches (people spaced apart to try to uncover person hidden in the dense brush). Yesterday, I participated in one of these sweeps and was able to keep up with the young soldiers and civilians for about two hours. The line search yielded no clues. So far, the four-day search has resulted in finding nothing. The Troopers plan to continue the search again Saturday. I am increasingly of the opinion that my father walked back towards civilization, and picked up a ride. Apparently, Alzheimers victims wander off, take buses, or hitch rides and have been known to disappear for several days only to be found alive somewhere. If the search continues to yield nothing, there seems to be an increasing possibility that he is not in the forest but somewhere in civilization yet suffering from amnesia. Today, I spent my efforts taking posters to the business on the main strip of retails stores, churches, and other business along South Big Lake road, talking to people about the search and asking them to keep on the lookout for my father. I am very impressed with how the folks here are concerned and are making an effort to help us. My family has built up a debt that we will never be able to pay to payable to the volunteers, some of whom have participated in all four days of the search so far.
Original post:
This afternoon I received an e-mail from my sister who lives in Anchorage, Alaska, explaining that my father has been missing since last Friday (see press release).
As the chief rabble rouser here at the Isaac Brock Society, I’ve put my neck out in a way that is little more risky, perhaps, than others here. I have expressed my fear of returning, and I have said I will not do it except in the case of a family emergency. Like me, many of you are also afraid to return to the United States. Well, I think of all the regular participants at Isaac Brock, I am probably the most likely target for detention and arrest, because of my outspoken activism at this blog. However, because I will partake in the search party that my family is putting together, I must risk entering the United States for the first time since I relinquished my United States citizenship. However, I wanted you to know where I was going, so that all of you would know that if I disappear, who to blame. I would become the much sought after poster-boy of the Isaac Brock Society–a Canadian harassed only because he is a former American.
Hopefully, however, on compassionate grounds, the US authorities will refrain from arresting, detaining, or harassing me (though for what crime they might charge me, I’m not aware). It has been over one year since I filed my Form 8854 and my last tax return, and I’ve heard nothing back. So as far as I know, as far as what the IRS has informed me, we’re all good.
I will have my precious Certificate of Loss of Nationality and my Canadian passport with me, and we are flying Air Canada through Vancouver. Wish me luck clearing US formalities at the Vancouver Airport. I covet your prayers.
BTW, I’ve upgraded our comments editor, Pacifica, to full administrator. That way, if the worse happens to me, you all can continue blogging.
First published July 16, 2013, 22:35
I can’t imagine what Peter and his family are going through, to have more questions than answers right now.
Exactly! My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family right now, and that your Father will be found safe and well!
There has been a new tip about Peter’s dad. Unfortunately, it dates to two weeks ago (the man only just found out that Dr. Dunn is missing), but hopefully it will lead to a positive result and soon — I sure hope so.
“Wally Dunn, Missing Elderly Man, Last Seen in Montana Creek Area, APD Says”
“…. New information leads investigators to believe Mr. Dunn may have been seen near the Montana Creek Campground on 7/13/13, where a man who matches Mr. Dunn’s description discussed plans to walk or hitchhike to the Denali Park area,” Dani Myren, spokesperson with Anchorage Police, said in a brief statement issued Friday evening. …
The complete article is here on the KTUU website.
http://articles.ktuu.com/2013-07-26/anchorage-police_40821207
Oh, I do hope this is a good lead for them and that they find him soon. Such a worry for all.
Just posted on the Wallace Dunn Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/wallace.dunn.73?hc_location=stream
We met with the detective from APD handling the case last week, and he will be following up more on the Montana Creek possible tip next week. Some friends also headed north today with additional flyers and we will be contacting private campgrounds.
Tricia Moon shared a link.
2 seconds ago
New tip in search for elderly missing man (my friend’s Dad) near Anchorage AK
http://www.frontiersman.com/news/search-for-dunn-moves-north/article_47712bd2-f6eb-11e2-93a2-0019bb2963f4.html
Search for Dunn moves north
http://www.frontiersman.com
MONTANA CREEK — Anchorage Police issued an update Saturday to the search for an 81-year-old Anchorage man missing for about two weeks.
Good luck with it. Please do what is best for you and the family.
Peter, thanks very much for your current update. I don’t know what to say except that we all feel a bit of your pain in your dad being lost somewhere in the vastness of Alaska. It sounds like the word is well out in that big state.
What you say is so very true, for you and for others needing to return to the US in times of family need:
Thanks for letting us be a small part of the worry and hope in the search (and your crossing the border) — and for letting us get a glimpse of your wonderful dad and the heritage he’s given you and your siblings. I still hope for the best.
It’s incredibly sad that your dad still hasn’t been found and that you still have no answers, but perhaps your dad would be pleased to know that an act of his has allowed you to discover that you are still welcome in that place you once called home, where he calls home.
Have been, and will be thinking of you and your family Petros.
@ Petros
No closure is the saddest of all outcomes. We have all been given a glimpse of your father’s treasured existence on this earth by the amount of effort you, your family, your father’s friends and all the searchers expended to try to find him. To be loved and admired that much means more than all the riches in the world. Stay as strong as we know you to be and hopefully closure will come someday.
@Petros…
At times like this, I can only say that having had a close personal friend go through a unsettling disappearance of a son, with no closure on what happened, I have a lot of empathy for you and your families situation. Stay strong.
@Petros
It’s my understanding that they are still going to search near the Montana Creek campground. I can appreciate your thought about well-wishers feeling they had seen someone who might be your Dad.
Along with everyone else, I am just so sorry this has happened and hope you and your family have strength to call upon as you deal with this unresolved situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
Peter, you and your family with the help of many kind persons have done all you can in this very sad situation. I hope that you one day find an answer to where your Dad went, but maybe you never will. Sometimes there are just no answers, and that is very tough to cope with. Many good thoughts from across the ocean to you and your family.
@ Peter,
I’m very sorry you had to return home with this unresolved. I think about you and your dad a lot and I wish you and your family all the best. You remain in my thoughts and prayers.
Peter, I am sorry to hear you had to return home without finding your father. I think of you every day and have hope that there will be an answer soon as to where he is. I am glad you were able to go help look for him and hopefully when you return again it will be with this resolved with all your family around you and your father safe at home.
Peter
I am hoping your dad will be found. Miracles do happen. We all care.
Petros, I am also sorry that you were not able to find your father. I sincerely hope that he is well and that your family will find him soon.
@Petros
Please keep us posted with any new developments. Our prayers are with you and your family.
FTW
Still thinking of you and your family, all that you do here and all that you are dealing with. Keeping you and yours in our thoughts and prayers every day.
@Atticus, thanks.
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