Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Wikimedia Commons and B.C. RCMP
February 17, 2020 - 9:30 AM
Exactly two years ago, a young Alberta man mysteriously disappeared after leaving a house party at Sun Peaks.
To mark the anniversary of Ryan Shtuka’s disappearance, the community will hold a vigil in his honour tonight, Feb. 17.
Organizer Jo-dell Stanley said the vigil is a way for the community to show support for the Shtukas. Although she doesn’t have any formal ties to the family, when Shtuka’s mother Heather asked the community for help with her search two years ago, it struck a chord.
“The one thing that stuck in my head is if I was somewhere and knew nobody and my son was missing, who do you go to for help? You rely on the beauty of strangers,” Stanley said.
She hopes Shtuka’s story will change the way searches are held for missing people.
“Everybody matters,” she said. It's also way to show his family that Shtuka has not been forgotten.
The vigil will be held tonight at 5:30 p.m. at parking lot 2. It will be followed by a walk before the release of Chinese lanterns. At 7 p.m. Stanley is encouraging others around the world to light a candle to show support for families missing a loved one.
“It’s heartbreaking to see what you have to deal with (when you lose a love one),” she said. “We’re always promoting random acts of kindness in Ryan’s name.”
Sun Peaks Ski Resort also held a run this month in his honour.
A documentary, titled Peaks and Valleys: The Search for Ryan Shtuka was a finalist in the Canada Shorts Film Festival.
The 20-year-old was reported missing at the mountain resort, located northeast of Kamloops, Feb. 17, 2018. He had been living and working at the resort for two months, and was last seen leaving a house party on Burfield Drive in the village, which was just a short distance from his home.
Click here for past stories on Ryan Shtuka.
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News from © iNFOnews, 2020