‘Searching every second:’ sister of Greagan Geldenhuys speaks

The family of Greagan Geldenhuys is thankful for the hundreds of volunteers who continue to turn out to help with the search for the missing seven-year-old six days after he went missing at Echo Lake.

“We haven’t had time to even think about it, all we’re doing is searching at this point. No one’s had time to even grieve about mom yet, we’re just searching every second we get,” said Corrinna Howard, Greagan’s older sister.

Greagan was last seen with his mom Tamaine Geldenhuys on the B-Say-Tah beach at Echo Lake on the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 24. Tamaine’s body washed up on another beach about three kilometres away near the Fort Qu’Appelle campground.

Speaking to 980 CJME by phone from the volunteer search command centre in Fort Qu’Appelle, Howard spoke about the overwhelming support flooding in from across Western Canada.

“It’s amazing, we’ve had support from so many people, I would say hundreds have come to help – the school, teachers, people have flown in from different provinces to help – it’s overwhelming, it’s amazing,” Howard explained.

Photos of the smiling blonde boy show his love of the outdoors and the water, Howard said he and his mom went to the beach almost every day in the summer.

“He is very brave, very, very brave and he cared about mom more than anything and so (for) him to try to save her life – that would be something he would do,” Howard said, describing her little brother Greagan. “He would risk himself for that and that’s why we’re worried I guess. Mom was his everything and they loved each other very much.”

Howard said the last message she had from her mom was a picture of Greagan at the lake.

“So that’s a good memory and she wanted to go out to the point to see the pelicans – is a message she had sent my sister,” Howard said.

Earlier on Thursday, the RCMP announced the search will continue with a helicopter and boat, but the Underwater Recovery Team has completed their efforts. The police are urging people to check properties on Echo Lake and nearby Mission Lake, particularly around docks.

In addition to RCMP search and rescue helicopters, volunteers have offered assistance with a hovercraft and many other boats out on the water in addition to private planes.

Howard said more volunteers are always welcome and those who want to know how they can help the efforts from a distance can donate gas cards for the search.