Family of Calgary woman to donate raised funds to search and rescue groups

The family of a Calgary woman who was missing is overwhelmed by the outpouring of support to find her, and hopes to help others searching for loved ones.

“Thank you to everyone who helped, particularly those who searched for days in the wild backcountry, who shared posts, who made sandwiches, who delivered flyers and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us on the highway handing them out, who offered us beds, who prayed with us, encouraged us and cried with us and a million other things that helped us bring our niece Amy home,” said Marilyn Fahlman in a Facebook post.

“Sometimes the news is dark and it seems like there is nothing good happening in the world. Let me tell you, my friends, there is so much goodness, joy, and compassion. It’s right here inside each of us. We were abundantly blessed by the community near and far, and the memory of that will keep the light on for us,” her post continues.

Amy Falhman went missing last month after leaving her Hawkwood home for a drive to the country. When she didn’t return, she was reported missing. Calgary police found her SUV along a country road near Waiprous but no sign of Falhman.

Officers said earlier in the week her body was found. Foul play has been ruled out as the cause of her death.

Before she was found, hundreds of volunteers relentlessly searched difficult terrain looking for Falhman.

Jason Bissonnette, a member and volunteer with Cochrane Search and Rescue Association, a non-profit rescue, searched for days with others — often late into the night.

He says the search, while devastating in its result, was better than not knowing, and it gives the family a “sense of relief and just knowing at least that she’s been found.”

“People always ask, ‘was it successful?’ And, you know, even being able to see where she’s not is part of the success, so that you’re narrowing down the area,” he explained. “And then when you do finally find out that she’s found, regardless of the how … I think it’s important because it brings closure for the family and just knowing at least a definitive outcome … is much better than obviously not knowing.”

Her family set up a GoFundMe to support those efforts.

Now, they are paying it forward, planning to divert those donations — which are now at about $60,000 as of Sunday — to other families in similar situations.

On the GoFundMe page, Trevor Miller, a cousin of Fahlman, says an online store selling various art will be launched to honour her memory, and the proceeds will go to local search and rescue community groups.

“Please pray, share and support the GoFundMe as you are able or feel led. Monies raised will go to support southern Alberta search and rescue teams. Our goal is to help bring all the Amy’s home,” Marilyn’s post on Facebook continues.

A celebration of life for Fahlman, who was 25, happened on Sunday. She is survived by her mother, father, and her three brothers.