Missing Son, Prayers Please**-- BODY FOUND--**

EDIT: Chirs' body was found 19 months after he went missing. It is evident that he had gone for a drive that night and went off the road in the canyon.

A virtual-memorial page was set up for Chris http://christopher-coan.virtual-memorials.com /

EDIT: Chris went missing September 3rd 2007, here is a link to his web site, please let everyone you know know about this. Thank you.

www.FindChris.org

I'm crying as I'm typing, so please overlook all typos...I'm really not all here.

Our son, who turned 18 last month, has been missing now for 76 hours. He went to work Monday, left work and no one has heard from him nor seen him since. He wasn't having any problems with us, Sunday we all were together and had a great time. He wasn't having any problems with his girlfriend. He did have a bad day at work and we are guessing he went off on a drive to cool down, but we really don't know. He didn't say anything to anybody about where he was going. He was in a hurry to get to work that day and left his wallet home. So he has no money on him nor any access to money. We were able to get into his bank account today and there hasn't been any unusual activity in the last month. We have called everyone he knows and no one knows anything. His girlfriend has called everyone she can think of too.

This is so out of character for him. He has never done anything like this before.

The police are involved and doing all they can. Two different aerial searches were done today and tomorrow there is a ground search going on with volunteers and the police department. He has been listed as a missing person in all 50 states along with a description of his blazer. The police department made up fliers for us to put around town. The top of it says "Missing Person, Suspicious Circumstances".

This is so unreal. This is something that happens on TV, not in real life. The roller coaster of emotions is beyond imagination. The possibilities of what has happened to him and where he might be are endless. To the East of us is a canyon, to the West is desert hills. He could be anywhere. Not knowing anything is the worst.

My husband and our other children are hitting their limits too. Our home is crazy is an understatement. We have had lots of friends and family offer love and support. Meals have been brought in for three days. Our phones are ringing off the hook with well wishers and everyone wondering what they can do.

I'm sorry for going on and on, I just want to cover all the bases, but I'm sure I've missed some things.

Prayers are definitely welcome.

Mostly I'm still in shock. I'm not sure I'll be back on the site for a while. I will post as soon as we know anything.

Please everyone take care, and go hug your kids...

EDIT: Here is a link to the news paper artical.

http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti cle?AID=/20070907/NEWS01/709070304

I tried uploading the flier but it didn't happen, I'm not sure why.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. It does help to know that people care.

EDIT: I took a picture of the flier and added it to my pictures

EDIT: Here is a link to the web site  http://www.findchris.org/

Shannon, don't feel pressured to "get back" to us, we will be here for however long you need.  Be with your family now, and find comfort in them and the Lord.  It is so hard hearing your story, but I am still grateful that he is no longer a mystery to you.  He is Home now.  Take comfort in that.  I will continue to pray for you and your family.

Shannon,

I read about the recovery of your son in the Salt Lake Tribune.  It broke my heart to learn that your search ended so sadly, even though I'm sure it's a relief to finally have some closure.

I too lost my son at a young age.  I don't know if this helps, but it always brought comfort to me; when I laid my son to rest, the pastor told me that just as we go into our gardens to pick the most beautiful and fresh flowers to bring us joy, so did the Lord choose my son to bring Him a little bit of joy.  

I wish I could give you a hug.  :-(

Original Post by kaufmkk:

The pastor told me that just as we go into our gardens to pick the most beautiful and fresh flowers to bring us joy, so did the Lord choose my son to bring Him a little bit of joy.  

 That's touching. :) I'd like to thank you for sharing that with us all. It touched my heart to the core. I hope that Shannon finds solace in that.

I have to agree with the above post.  That comment brought me to tears.  I too hope it bring solace to Shannon.

{{{Shannon}}}

Love you Shannon, praying for you and your family continuously...

Angelic

I too have been here for the last two years and was so hoping for a better outcome.  I do not know how I would survive losing a child.  I am so sorry for your loss.  I pray for peace for your family.  Now you will have some closure and you know your son did not leave and not want to contact you, God had choosen Chris to be with him.  I hope that gives you some peace.  I ask God to wrap his love around you and your family and give you strength and peace. 

I hope that you and your family will be able to find peace - now that you know.  I have been here  with you.   And Though I prayed for a better outcome - I am glad it is now at a point where you family can begin healing and rebuilding. 

You Were blessed with Chris for many years -  remember those times as treasures - But never forget the children you still have with you. 

HUGGSS from Georgia

Jellikal 

Shannon,

I've been away for quite a few months, but always came back to check on this thread, always hoping for positive news. I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. I hope you will find comfort in your loved ones and the knowledge that we all have you in our thoughts.

Still thinking of you and your family.

I wanted to check in and let you all know that we are doing well. I'm almost amazed at how well we are doing. Dave and I both have very strong Christian beliefs and we know that Chris is in better place. We also know that he is still here with us, that his spirit is still around. We have had the opportunity to feel him and even see him. It still hurts to have him gone, and I cry every now and again because I miss him.

The outcome of why Chris was gone is what we first predicted. But after so many months of seaching we assumed he couldn't still be in the area. We had done so many areal seaches and ground seaches and we have so many hunters here in the fall that we knew we had looked everywhere. It really was a shock to find out that he was here all along.

It really is a miracle that we ever found Chris. In all honesty where he was, we should have never found him. That part of the mountain is so steep that no one would go there to hike or hunt. During the recovery of his body the National Guard had a helicopter there to help. The pilot was given the exact GPS coordinates of the vehicle. When they flew above the site they radioed back asking for correct coordinates, because they couldn't see anything. They were told they did indeed have the correct ones. So even with the exact GPS coordinates the pilot couldn't see where Chris' blazer was. It's no wonder we couldn't see him in all of our searching.

I truly believe there is a reason it took us 19 months to find him. I believe there are many reasons, and we may not know all of them until we too get to the other side. I think we found Chris when he was ready for us to find him. I think along the way he wanted us to know that he was OK, but he wasn't ready for us to bring him home yet. I know that we learned so many things in those 19 months that you can't learn any other way. We learned to lean on each other and our Savior. We learned a whole new level of compassion, sympathy and empathy.

Dave and I and Sasha and her parents went to see the blazer after it had been recovered. It wasn't taken off the mountain for a few weeks after Chris' body was because of the snow and how steep the mountain is in that area. It looked worse then I had imagined it would. Before we saw it we knew that the glass had been broken out and that he was airborne for about 100 feet before hitting then the vehicle went end over end who knows how many times. But seeing it made it very real. It wasn't a morbid as I thought it might be. It was weird thinking this was the last place Chris was alive, but that wasn't the dominate feeling. It really was more peaceful then that. It is hard to explain, but it really was just looking at a wrecked vehicle. It wasn't a lot different then if I had been looking at another wrecked car. It wasn't dark and sad like I was afraid it might be. It was just Chris' car all smashed up. I'm not sure that makes any sense. For me it was good to see. It was part of the closure.

I still have so much to say. I'm not sure anyone cares to hear it as much as it is good for me to share the stories and heal through that. So again thank you for giving me a place to be.

Thank you for your prayers. They really are what kept us going and helped us through the worst of it.

There is a retreat for families of missing loved ones this coming weekend. it is being put on by Project Jason. When I had heard about it initially I wanted to go. Dave wasn't so sure. It is weird now thinking of the families that will be there, and that we don't need to be. My heart aches for those families. I am so grateful that we have an end to our search. I feel so blessed that we aren't still one of those families.

I will be back with more. Thank you again for your continued support.

~Shannon 

Shannon,

I am so glad to hear that you and your family are doing so well through all of this. please continue to share your thoughts and feelings here if it helps you! i think i can speak for everyone when i say that we're all more than willing to listen and continue to offer our support. you are so strong, and your faith is inspiring. i wish you nothing but the best as you continue to heal.

{{shannon}}

Shannon thank you for keeping in touch with us all. It is so nice to be able to hear how the healing prossess is going fo ryou all. you continue to be in our thoughts and prayers. Please do tell us more about how things have gone.w hen you have seen him and such? I do enjoy stories like this. for 9 years now my son has been gone. and I see him ALL THE TIME! so I would love to hear more.

{{{{Shannon}}}}} There really aren't any words, but I am very glad to hear you are doing well, and that your family is healing and holding together. I'm sure you are right about Chris. He is in a better place :)

i think of you and your family every day.  I'm glad that he was found; that you have some closure; that you now can see him in your dreams and know that he's OK and in a better place.  He's in all of our hearts; along with you and your family.

{hug}

Dear Shannon,

Thank you for updating us, it is so good to hear how you and your family are doing.  I am on the other side of the world to you but your story has touched me deeply.

I have a childhood neighbour who went missing over 25 years ago and although we now know he was killed soon after he went missing, his body has never been found.  His poor mother has lived with it so long, we still live in hope that we will find him.

Take care x x x

Shannon,

Nothing but prayers to offer you and your family.  I am happy to hear you are holding together.  I bet Chris would be happy, too.  God Bless you all and keep you close to His heart.

Shannon,

The peace of God truly does surpass all understanding.  Thank you for sharing this journey with us - I know it has been difficult for you to do but your strength has been truly inspiring to all of us.  My family is yet praying for you and yours.

Diva

All of the status updates are truly appreciated by us. I hope that your family shared a happy and safe Fourth of July. :) Keep in touch.

Today is Chris's 20th birthday.

Shannon, I hope you and your family are doing well.  We're still thinking about you.