This Shtukasaurus was found by a runner on a path in Courtenay who posted a photo of it on social media garnering almost 70,000 comments.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Ruby Whipper
September 06, 2023 - 6:00 AM
The legacy of a young man who went missing from Sun Peaks Mountain Resort over five years ago has been spreading around the world at lightning speed this past week.
Ryan Shtuka went missing from the resort on Feb. 17, 2018, and he has not been heard from since, despite family, friends and volunteers searching relentlessly for answers over the years.
In early 2022, some volunteers started ordering and sharing small plastic dinosaurs far and wide in honour of Ryan. A "Shtukasauraus" comes with a tag carrying the story of Ryan’s disappearance and a scan code that takes finders to a popular Facebook page dedicated to Ryan.
Since then photos of the dinos spotted in several different countries around the world have been shared, but a photo of a dino found on a running path in Courtenay posted on Aug. 30 went viral and now Ryan’s story is travelling around the world faster than ever before.
A Shtukasaurus toy dinosaur carrying missing Ryan Shtuka's story spotted in Bridal Veil Falls, Ontario.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Amanda Johnson
Ryan’s mother Heather said the post was of several that have been made highlighting the toy dinos' adventures, but this one hit an algorithm and within 24 hours 8,000 new members joined the page and that number hit 40,000 on Sept. 4.
“I’m not sure why one post out of so many triggered such a fantastic response but I’m so grateful that Ryan’s story is being shared to so many places,” she said.
So many people from around the world want to order their own Shtukasaurus that supplies quickly ran out with volunteers ordering more. Pickup locations are in Regina, Edmonton, Beaumont, Red Deer, Kamloops, Little Fort, Clearwater and Vancouver, and shipping across Canada or internationally costs $21.
Pam Groom, a volunteer helping to fill orders, said the team is not making money on the dinos.
“We have to buy the filament to make them, tags, rings and then pay for shipping to all the pickup areas,” she said. “We used to just absorb the costs, but it’s now out of control so we just put the money back into making more. We might need a sponsor soon.”
Each dino comes with a tag that reads: "20 year old Ryan Shtuka disappeared at Sun Peaks in British Columbia Canada on February 17, 2018. Extensive and ongoing search efforts have given no clues to Ryan’s location. We would so appreciate if you would share Ryan’s story and a picture of where you found this Dino."
A scan on the tag takes the finder to the Facebook page where now there are endless streams of comments about the impact Ryan’s story has had on people.
“Not only does it spread awareness about Ryan but it also shines a light on other families with missing loved ones,” Heather said.
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Also being shared and viewed is the documentary video Peaks and Valleys: The Search for Ryan Shtuka that was released in 2020, which was a finalist in the Canada Shorts Film Festival.
“It’s amazing to see so much love and support for the Shtuka’s since Ryan went missing over five years ago,” Groom said. “When we made the first dinosaurs we had no idea how popular they would be, or how far they would travel.
"Now the dinos are in 30 countries, and the awareness continues to spread - all because of a boy named Ryan.”
For more information on how to order a Shtukasaurus send a message through the MISSING: RYAN SHTUKA page.
Go here for past stories about Ryan Shtuka.
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