THUNDER BAY – The family of Richard Graham is hoping they will locate him soon.
The search continues for Graham, 42, who was reported missing on Aug. 7.
Dwayne Poster, Graham’s father, said the family has been trying to find him.
“We’re country people, so we've scoured the bush here at the park itself. We've gone into areas of the city searching for him.
“People in the general public have probably seen us out and about placing posters on poles and talking to people to ask them for any information regarding Richard.
“We’ve just about done everything and we're at this point pleading for any kind of information that we can get,” he said.
Graham frequented the Dew Drop Inn for his meals, Poster said.
“He's like all these other residents of the encampments, they travel a lot either by bus or by foot and they are able to cover great distances in very short periods of time. He could be just about anywhere in this city."
Poster said Grahm felt protected in the Current River Park.
“He thought it was a safer area for himself as opposed to the other encampments. Everyone here that we've talked to, all his friends said they looked out for each other.
“When he disappeared, we thought it was very, very odd for him to do that. The longest he ever disappeared for was a week at a time and for him to be gone after that week, that's why we reported him missing. It was just very odd that he didn't follow his normal routines.
“I would always see him here in the park, I'd see him charging his phone or whatever, and then there was just nothing after that."
Poster said Graham has not been seen by his family since July 30 and the family is hoping he will contact them.
“Contact us, let us know you're OK. We're looking everywhere for him and we've been everywhere in this city. There are not too many places we haven't been."
Poster said if anyone has any information to contact the police.
“Richard is not a very big guy. He's only five-foot-six and maybe weighs (around) 120 pounds and he can hide in places where you wouldn't think a normal person could fit inside of."
It’s very traumatic to see the plight of some Thunder Bay residents, "struggling to get by with their addictions or mental health. Richard had mental health issues and that has led to all of this.
“We want him to come home, we need a resolution to this."
Poster said his mom is also worried about him.
“She would have been here with me, but I don't know if she could take this.
“I just want to plead to everyone to look in your backyard, under cars, in cars. It was very hot weather at that time. Anything could have happened to him, he could have passed out and fell down somewhere, you just never know,” he said.
Thunder Bay Police officers are encouraging residents across the entire city to check their home and business surveillance footage as well as to check their properties for any sighting of Graham.
Det. Const. Brent Parres, missing person coordinator, said they are still looking into any tips they receive.
“We're open to all information. The investigation is ongoing and still developing at this point. We're just making a plea to the public to perhaps check any video cameras. We're specifically interested in July 30 as a day.
“Known areas of travel could include the entire city. We haven't been able to narrow it down to any specific area.”
The last footage of Graham is him getting on a bus going southbound, Parres said.
“Right near the corner of MacDougall on North Cumberland. That's the bus he got on and it was southbound. It would have been heading towards the Water Street bus terminal.”
Parres said the main thing they are looking for is surveillance video.
Anyone with information can contact police at 807-684-1200.
