The family of a man who was last seen Dec. 4, 2022, while visiting Williams Lake made an appeal to city council to help them continue to search.
"He's a really good man," said Carl Schooner Sr., the father of Carl William Charlie Schooner Jr., who described his 30-year-old son as "naive" when he came to Williams Lake from Bella Coola.
Carl Sr. spoke at the regular city of Williams Lake council meeting on March 4, as a surprise addition to the agenda.
Mayor Surinderpal Rathor asked council to allow the father to speak in order to allow the father to share his appeal with the community as they continue to seek answers in regards to his missing son.
The search for the young Nuxalk/Heiltsuk man may have been scaled back, but the family said they have not stopped looking.
Carl Schooner Jr. is described as an Indigenous male, medium build, six feet tall, 161 pounds, with brown hair and eyes and has a tattoo which says "Rosa" on his right forearm.
He was last seen wearing a black hoodie with green lettering on it.
His family said they have continued to look for him, but the stress has taken its toll, with Carl Jr.s biological mother having died since her son's disappearance.
Carl Sr. attributed her death to their son's disappearance.
The family appealed to city council and the community for financial support in order to continue to search.
The family said they struggle to feed a large extended family which still lives in Bella Coola, while driving back and forth and needing food, fuel and accommodation to continue the search.
As well, health problems have begun to plague some of the family as the search drags on, meaning more travel and additional costs.
The city offered to provide $250 in discretionary funds to support the family's expenses and to take up a collection among the staff and council.
“If anybody can help, please help. That would be my plea to the community," said mayor Surinderpal Rathor.
Speaking after the meeting, the family and supporters said they continue to get tips but have yet to find anything concrete.
They hope to continue to keep Carl Jr.'s name alive as they urge people to keep looking when they are in the area.
"We'll never stop looking for him," said Carl Sr.
They urge anyone with any information regarding Carl Jr.'s disappearance or movements in December 2022 to share it with the family or the RCMP, no matter how insignificant it might seem.
Anyone with information about his disappearance is asked to contact the Williams Lake RCMP at 250-392-6211 or his father Carl Schooner Sr. at 778-267-4759.
