Father: Son 'in good spirits' before being reported missing from Grand Canyon
The last time Robbin Kramer saw his son, Drake, they watched the film, "American Sniper," on Jan. 29.
"He was in good spirits," the father said by telephone from northern Arizona on Thursday. Family reported Drake L. Kramer missing from Grand Canyon National Park on Monday.
Though it had been a few days since he had seen his son, Robbin Kramer said it wasn't unusual.
"He works and had just started school," the father said, adding that his son has worked at a Lowe's Home Improvement store for a year and received an associate?s degree from Northwest Vista College.
School officials Wednesday confirmed his enrollment at the Unversity of Texas at San Antonio, where he is studying geology.
A series of text messages sparked concern for the family, who found out Sunday night that Drake Kramer had driven first to California and then the Grand Canyon. By Monday, the student sent a group text saying he "loved everybody and said he had to give his body to Mother Earth," his father said.
"We are trying to be positive," Robbin Kramer said. "He said he loves nature, and we are trying to believe that he wants to go be in nature and explore, be on his own and deal with whatever is going on in his mind.?
He said things seemed to be going fine for his son. "He's always been a very loving, very caring child," the father said. "He loves animals, he's been on the honor roll his entire life. He's a hard worker, and very frugal."
Authorities found Drake Kramer's car at the Bright Angel Lodge, where he checked in Saturday and checked out Sunday.
"It's not like him to travel by himself," Robbin Kramer said, though they believe he did travel alone. "It's kind of a surprise since he just started school."
The Grand Canyon is an area that Drake Kramer is known to love, his father said.
"He's been to the Grand Canyon three or four times," Robbin Kramer said. There are several spots he absolutely loves. Those have been the focus areas out here, where he has been before."
More than 40 national park service personnel are assigned to the search, Kirby-Lynn Shedlowski, acting public affairs officer at Grand Canyon National Park, said in a statement released Thursday.
Rescuers have combed dozens of miles of the canyon since Monday, searching the South Rim of the canyon, where he was last seen, and along the edges of canyon walls, and, in some cases, technical rappelling over the edge. They continue to use a park helicopter for more coverage by air, she said.
Drake Kramer is described as 5-feet-7-inches tall, 140 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair, and likes to wear either a backward-facing baseball cap or a bandanna. He also prefers dark-colored clothing.
Anyone who has information is asked to contact the park service?s Silent Witness Line at 928-638-7840.
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