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Search efforts for a missing BYU student believed to have drowned in Utah Lake came up empty for the second day in a row.
Saturday evening, 25-year-old Craig Decker jumped off his boat into the lake and never resurfaced.
Thunderstorms brought lightening, strong winds and intense rains Sunday, causing the search to be called off for a time. They hope to pick up where they left off Monday morning.
Family members say Craig was a bright young man who was full of life and wanted to make a difference in the world. They're calling this an absolute tragedy. They say Craig truly believed nothing could stand in his way.
Craig lost his right hand to a fireworks accident, but that didn't dampen his spirits. Instructional videos, posted on YouTube, in which he taught how to do such things as tie a shoe with one hand, were a way for Decker to use his disability to motivate others.
His father, Lyle Decker, told reporters, "He said, among other things, ‘Things in life we simply cannot control, it's O.K. As we let go of those things quickly and completely, we become free.'"
Sunday Craig's family searched for their own strength, battling tears as they could only watch while search and rescue crews combed Utah Lake for his body.
Ty Hunter, the manager of Utah Lake State Park, said, "The water is murky because of a couple factors: It is a shallow lake; the bottom is very fluid, it has really light and fine silt on the bottom."
The search began Saturday evening at about 6:45, after Craig reportedly dove from his boat into the water, trying to recover an oar, and never resurfaced. A day later, crews found the oar and his shoes, but no Craig.
"As a family, we'd like to give special thanks and appreciation to all the agencies, the officers and the search and rescue staff for their assisting us at this very difficult time," Lyle said.
For now, family members can only wait, and remember the young man who designed his own prosthetic hand, served an LDS mission in Argentina, overcame tough obstacles, and still had time to love everyone around him.
Search efforts have included a helicopter, and airplane, multiple boats and sonar equipment.
E-mail: wjohnson@ksl.com
