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
Petros,
Wishing you and your family and your father all the best, and then some.
You and your father will be in my thoughts. Best of luck that your father is returned to your family and you to Canada.
Your dad is in my thoughts and my prayers. Safe trip and all my best wishes to you both.
I am so deeply sorry to hear this. Wishing you a safe and uneventful journey and the safe return of your father.
I am so sorry to hear about your dad…I hope he is found safe and sound. You will be in my thoughts and hopes that all will be well. You leave knowing that many are concerned for you and your dad and family.
Hope you have a good outcome and a speedy return to Canada
Thanks everyone. I am very thankful for your good wishes.
Petros, my thoughts are with you, and all fervent good wishes for your father’s health, and yours. May you and your father come home safely.
May all the good you’ve done for others be returned to you in your time of need.
We will be thinking of you.
Petros,
I hope you have a non-eventful border crossing, and your dad returns home safely!
Petros, we are ALL so very much with you in your journey to, hopefully, find your dad. May you not encounter any obstruction for safe passage to help reach your destination for your search. If you do, we’ll know there is not a shred of good left in officials of the US and we will all know what awaits us when we cross the border for a US family member.
You have us all with you in spirit; hopes and prayers. Take special care, our Isaac Brock friend.
Safe journey, Petros. I’ll keep your father’s beautiful image in my mind while I hope with all my heart that he is soon reunited with you and your family.
http://www.adn.com/2013/07/16/2977125/elderly-anchorage-man-missing.html
I am sorry to hear about your father and hope he is found soon. Just remember that sometimes being high profile is a good thing. Maybe you are “too big to detain”?
Good luck.
Petros, thank you again for creating and maintaining this blog. I believe you will have no problem at all entering and leaving the US. Most importantly, I hope you and your family can find your father well and very soon. Have a safe trip.
We also will keep you & your family in our thoughts and prayers. Godspeed.
Petros, my prayers are with you and your family. You are a man of great courage and faith.
You are in my prayers, Petros. Hugely grateful for this site.
I’m sorry to hear about your father. I will pray for you and your family that you will be assured of God’s providence over your life and that you will soon discover the whereabouts of your father.
If your father is like mine, then he’s just out enjoying the sunshine in an unusual place and all is fine. Have a nice trip!
Petros; you, your dad and the rest of your family are in my thoughts and best wishes.
Hopefully the collective thoughts and prayers of everyone at Isaac Brock will in some way help you find safe passage and good luck.
May fortune please smile upon you, my friend. Thanks again for everything you do, and have done, for so many people.
Petros, Best wishes and success in finding you father safe and healthy.
Yitzi
Best of luck, Petros. I hope your father is safe and in good health. I am sure you will have no difficulty crossing the border in either direction and you will back with the rest of us in no time.
I’m also truly sorry you have to return to the crappiest and most hypocritical, totalitarian state of all time, a.k.a. (only to its own brainwashed prisoners) “the greatest country in the world.”
I wish you all the best – please let us know how it goes
Hoping that all comes out for the best
Petros, so sorry to hear. That is scary, hope you will let us know all is well.
Safe journey to you, Petros. Find your dad then get home safely mate. May you prove an inspiration to those of us who are too timid to set foot in Mordor.
Best of luck to you and your father, Petros. I sincerely hope everything turns out well for you and your family.