The family of a woman who was missing for three days near Sasamat Lake last week is thanking police, Coquitlam Search and Rescue and the public for helping bring her home.
In a letter to the Port Moody Police Department, members of Joy Zhang's family said they are grateful for the efforts and moved by outpouring of support from the community.
"This is a very successful outcome for everyone's efforts," the family said in the letter. "Joy was checked into hospital and released in remarkably good health and good spirits. She is recovering with her family."
They acknowledged that many Port Moody police officers helped on their own time and thanked members of the Challenger baseball team, whose extended family and friends combed the area looking for Zhang. The family said they also appreciated the efforts of Port Moody Victim Services.
The 20-year-old Douglas College student, who has special needs, disappeared with a friend from White Pine beach the afternoon of Aug. 2. The friend, Judy, was found several hours later but crews were not able to locate Zhang until Sunday morning.
She was spotted about 200 m from the trail lying underneath some ferns in a location not far from where Judy was found.
Search manager Dwight Yochim said it is possible that because of her disability, Zhang did not respond when crews were calling out her name during the search.
"We may never know what she did for those four days," Yochim told The Tri-City News on Tuesday. "I don't think she moved from that spot."
The 76-hour search involved more than 120 volunteer crews members from 20 different agencies.
