Mill Bay resident Janet Farris was driving to a wedding in Alberta in 1992 when she vanished. Her granddaughter, Erin Farris-Hartley, was 12-years-old.
“I didn’t want to admit that I was sad in front of my parents because that would maybe be admitting I had lost hope,” she said.
Farris was driving the Trans-Canada highway by herself and was last seen getting gas in Salmon Arm. But now thanks to 13-year-old Max Werenka we know Farris didn’t make it much farther.
“So they went out searching in the lake with my 13-year-old son and lo and behold they found a vehicle,” Max’s mother Nancy Werenka told CBC News.
The Werenka’s own Griffin Lake Cabins near Revelstoke. Max was out with some guests when they spotted a submerged car. The family called RCMP but when they couldn’t find it, Max jumped in with his GoPro and took video of the upside-down car to show them. Then the divers were called in.
“With the help of a local tow company able to hook onto the vehicle and drag out the vehicle and once we got the vehicle out, a body was located inside, a female,” said Revelstoke RCMP Cpl. Thomas Blakney.
It was Janet Farris.
“It’s been really emotional the last week and a half of feeling happy with the news and then also feeling really really sad,” said Farris-Hartley.
“We can grieve properly now and lay her memory to rest the way I think she would want us too.”
And for that the family is thankful for the brave and persistent 13-year-old with a GoPro.
“It’s really important to me for him to know that we thank him from the bottom of our hearts,” she said.
Janet’s remains will now be placed alongside her husband’s.