A mother in New Brunswick is grateful for the kindness of strangers, her family and friends, as the search effort for her missing 22-year-old son came to a tragic end this week.
The body of Mitchell Veenhuis was found inside his car when it was pulled from a lake on Wednesday.
Veenhuis’ mother says the past two weeks have been emotional for the family.
“We’re tired, we’re glad that the search is over,” says his mother, Stacey Heagney. “I’m glad we have Mitchell and we’re not worrying and wondering anymore.”
Heagney reported her son missing on October 15th.
His vehicle was discovered in a lake near Random Corner, about eight kilometres from Maquapit Lake, where Veenhuis lived.
“The coroner’s report, he had no external or internal injuries,” Heagney explains. “All indications were drowning and we won’t know any more about the vehicle, there’s a lot of damage to the vehicle upon impact of the water, apparently, but the road that he was travelling on is straight road, comes to a complete stop over a knoll, and then you’re directly into the water with no notification, no signs, no warning.”
She says she and her family are thankful for the people who helped out during the two week, long, and difficult search.
“We had so much support,” she adds. “We had strangers looking and helping, and people helping with food and whatever they could. It was very well appreciated, it got us through it.”
This is the second child Heagney has lost this year.
In May, her daughter Brittany died in a motor vehicle accident.
She says Mitchell and Brittany were very close.
“Nobody can explain it. It’s not something you’ll ever understand, I hope.”
Mitchell Veenhuis’ funeral will be held on Sunday, with visitation on Sunday in Minto.
He will be buried on Wednesday in Union Centre, Nova Scotia, near the place where he grew-up.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ashley Blackford.
