Contributed by Edie Grunwald
DG Signs, the MTA Sports Center, the UPS Store in Palmer, Three Bears and Alaskans from Kenai to Anchorage to JBER, Eagle River and Chugiak to the Mat-Su and all the way to North Pole…. What do they have in common? These local businesses along with individuals, families and agencies have compassion and truly prove that we can come together.
On November 13, 2016, our son, David Grunwald (16 years old), did not return home. We looked on the roads in case he slid off or was in an accident; we made calls. The Alaska State Troopers helped us. DG Signs made banners and lit up their sign at the Trunk Rd exit on the Parks Hwy: MISSING. Then: REWARD. MTA Sports Center on the Palmer-Wasilla Hwy lit their sign up: MISSING. Then: JUSTICE for DAVID. The UPS Store in Palmer printed hundreds of flyers at no cost. Three Bears donated hand warmers and snacks.
Hundreds of people searched for David in the bitter cold. Alaska Investigation Agency helped pro-bono and Guardian Search and Investigation, a non-profit, helped. Victims for Justice, a non-profit helped out. MAT+SAR K9 searched. The D12s flew their drone for hours and hours, searching for David and coordinated the reward money from generous National Guard retirees. People on horses, with dogs, on ATVs searched. Our local media, KTVA, KTUU, AND, the Frontiersman and youralaskalink.com kept David in the news. The Alaska State Troopers worked the case and found David on Dec 2, 2016.
Ben and I, David’s parents, thank all of you so much. You have touched our hearts and given us faith. So many people that we didn’t know, friends, co-workers and family reached out during the search period. We all wanted to find David alive. We hoped and we prayed. David became everyone’s “Our David”. Love to you all.
