MN MN - Bryce Borca, 23, college student, seen at 2AM, search focused near Minnesota River, Eagan, 30 Oct 2022

[lassy]

IMO
I still have to wonder, if those closest to Bryce knew something right away. They turned many people away that first day who came to search. Then called off searches after that. No statements from friends or family, little media coverage or LE updates, etc since. Was there evidence pointing to him being in the quarry pond or somewhere else right away?
Then the foundation without them finding him or his body. Seems to me they know he is gone and possibly what happened…or they would have never given up hope.

 

[momsof3]

IMO
I still have to wonder, if those closest to Bryce knew something right away. They turned many people away that first day who came to search. Then called off searches after that. No statements from friends or family, little media coverage or LE updates, etc since. Was there evidence pointing to him being in the quarry pond or somewhere else right away?
Then the foundation without them finding him or his body. Seems to me they know he is gone and possibly what happened…or they would have never given up hope.

Yes, I do wonder about this. I have wondered in this case whether the fact that he was in a two-year college at age 23 indicates some difficulty following the "traditional" high school to college trajectory. He was a student at Century College.
Home. It doesn't seem like finances would be the issue from what I can tell about his family.

No judgment here - I dropped out of college and worked for a couple of years before going back. That was because of an extremely difficult family situation - which is maybe why I always wonder whether there are "factors" involved when I see such an age discrepancy. MOO, etc.

I could also see a family that deals with things privately and who came to terms with the fact that it would have been impossible for anyone to have survived that cold night and who turned to a Foundation to deal with their grief and to honor Bryce's memory.

 

[Trino]

Yes, I do wonder about this. I have wondered in this case whether the fact that he was in a two-year college at age 23 indicates some difficulty following the "traditional" high school to college trajectory. He was a student at Century College.
Home. It doesn't seem like finances would be the issue from what I can tell about his family.

No judgment here - I dropped out of college and worked for a couple of years before going back. That was because of an extremely difficult family situation - which is maybe why I always wonder whether there are "factors" involved when I see such an age discrepancy. MOO, etc.

I could also see a family that deals with things privately and who came to terms with the fact that it would have been impossible for anyone to have survived that cold night and who turned to a Foundation to deal with their grief and to honor Bryce's memory.

It's fairly obvious that Bryce is gone, but where is he, and what happened to him? Of course, I'm not privy to inside info so I only know what's been published, mostly online. However, the lack of information and lack of publicity brings out suspicion and criticism, and that's not going away until he's found, and what happens if he's not found? Will there be other possible scenarios, or are we expected to just forget this crazy disappearance?

 

[Ladyotm]

This case astounds me. A family like that with all the means in the world and they put absolutely no pressure on the media to keep his story alive and in front of our faces. They barely let any information become public...It's like they just wrote him off and created a non-profit. There was never a website "Help Find Bryce" just a donation website to help other parents.

My mind literally cannot understand the actions of this family or this case.

I believe the family has come to terms with his death. Perhaps knowing the extent of the search efforts and the weather conditions that night solidified their belief. Perhaps focusing on finding his body is too painful and will not allow them to grieve his death and move forward. As for the friends, maybe their guilt is overbearing.

 

[Trino]

Respectfully, I think the family wants privacy, wants to grieve the loss and honor his legacy.

IMO as much as any family who has lost a child can, they are at peace. I think his friends are in the same place. They have information we don't have and IMO it's possible that a burial isn't as important to them as knowing in their hearts, he is at peace...

I believe they're waiting patiently for a recovery but this isn't a complicated case. There's no one who knows something, no crime, no conspiracy. Just a tragedy of turns.

IMO the family doesn't need tips or media coverage to solve anything.

They wait, for search and recovery, probably with full awareness, he may not be found, unless the reservior gives up her secrets. Meanwhile... they've found a beautiful way to honor his life.

JMO

There isn't a reservoir. There's a river about a mile away. There are ponds. There are swamps. No reservoir.

 

[Megnut]

There isn't a reservoir. There's a river about a mile away. There are ponds. There are swamps. No reservoir.

Am I wrong? I thought there indeed was a filled quarry.

 

[Trino]

Am I wrong? I thought there indeed was a filled quarry.

There is Quarry Island, which is in the middle of Gun Club Lake. Sandstone was mined there. It's an island. Gun Club isn't what one would call a tourist destination. Sometime encampments. Something (or someone) could have happened to him around there. There is also a bar -Yankee Tavern - near where he disappeared, although it closed at 1:00a.m. Probably not, but...

 

[Trino]

There is Quarry Island, which is in the middle of Gun Club Lake. Sandstone was mined there. It's an island. Gun Club isn't what one would call a tourist destination. Sometime encampments. Something (or someone) could have happened to him around there. There is also a bar -Yankee Tavern - near where he disappeared, although it closed at 1:00a.m. Probably not, but...

 

[lassy]

There is Quarry Island, which is in the middle of Gun Club Lake. Sandstone was mined there. It's an island. Gun Club isn't what one would call a tourist destination. Sometime encampments. Something (or someone) could have happened to him around there. There is also a bar -Yankee Tavern - near where he disappeared, although it closed at 1:00a.m. Probably not, but...

As far as I have read and know, one of the ponds (or maybe even 2) behind Essendant were old quarries. I have been back there and seen them…lots of huge concrete pieces around them, not very wide but heard very deep. Multiple different K9s tracked Bryce in one of them. They have had divers and sonar in that pond/quarry multiple times. I have read they can have ledges, tunnels, old machinery, sludge, etc down there. I have also heard the family was considering draining it with warmer weather if he doesn’t surface. Please correct me if anyone knows different.
Seems the family knows he is gone. I would think if they thought he was abducted, etc, they would still have hope that he is alive. IMO.

 

[Megnut]

As far as I have read and know, one of the ponds (or maybe even 2) behind Essendant were old quarries. I have been back there and seen them…lots of huge concrete pieces around them, not very wide but heard very deep. Multiple different K9s tracked Bryce in one of them. They have had divers and sonar in that pond/quarry multiple times. I have read they can have ledges, tunnels, old machinery, sludge, etc down there. I have also heard the family was considering draining it with warmer weather if he doesn’t surface. Please correct me if anyone knows different.
Seems the family knows he is gone. I would think if they thought he was abducted, etc, they would still have hope that he is alive. IMO.

Thank you for confirming what I thought I remembered.

I agree with your sentiments.

 

[Trino]

Saw vehicles near the tracks off Nichols Rd today. Did not inquire. May have been searching.

 

[Weweni]

Saw vehicles near the tracks off Nichols Rd today. Did not inquire. May have been searching.

I'm just curious where you saw them. Cuz I know the roads closed entering the refuge in State Park area down Nichols closer to the river. I'm just curious

 

[Trino]

I'm just curious where you saw them. Cuz I know the roads closed entering the refuge in State Park area down Nichols closer to the river. I'm just curious

At Nichols saw vehicles (trucks?) parked along the tracks yesterday. I was also down there today (illegally I suppose) biking the closed trail from the Cedar Bridge to 35W. Biked the road, trail not possible, and the road sure got my attention on 25 tires. Started at the Bloomington side, crossed the Cedar Bridge. Met two guys also biking the closed trail but with wide tires. No cars under the bridge; area needs to be cleaned up bad. Did not bike Nichols to the tracks so I have no idea the conditions, but I can guess the word awful should be used. Probably able to drive to the tracks from Silver Bell in a 4 wheel, etc.

 

[Trino]

At Nichols saw vehicles (trucks?) parked along the tracks yesterday. I was also down there today (illegally I suppose) biking the closed trail from the Cedar Bridge to 35W. Biked the road, trail not possible, and the road sure got my attention on 25 tires. Started at the Bloomington side, crossed the Cedar Bridge. Met two guys also biking the closed trail but with wide tires. No cars under the bridge; area needs to be cleaned up bad. Did not bike Nichols to the tracks so I have no idea the conditions, but I can guess the word awful should be used. Probably able to drive to the tracks from Silver Bell in a 4 wheel, etc. Photo is the road.

 

[lassy]

Is anyone still looking for Bryce? Not an update of any kind in months. Completely confusing to me.

 

[Trino]

Good question. Although nothing posted or in the news, one would assume the search is ongoing. Weather has been very good. What about the holding ponds? Last I heard the family was going to have them drained - have heard nothing lately about this.

 

[lassy]

I have heard nothing about draining the ponds since months ago, when I heard the parents were considering draining them in the spring. Did they give up on that? Why give up, if multiple K9’s tracked him there? And why are there drone and land searches still going on then if they believe he is in a pond? The last piece of news from Kare11 the end of April said the high water levels were limiting the search for him. Two months later and not a single update.
I also don’t understand the foundation, Bryce’s Blessings. It was set up back in Dec, before they recovered a body. It now says it was set up to celebrate his life and loss, and help others dealing with ambiguous loss. They are having a golf classic next month. If they know he is gone, how do they know without a body? And if they are sure he is not alive, how ambiguous is it? If he drank too much and fell in a pond, that’s not that ambiguous IMO. Is there something more to the story? Or is the ambiguous just because they can’t find his body?
I am as confused as I have been since he went missing and they called off the search after day one. I still check the web almost daily for any updates. I wish some kind of update would be released. So many of us are invested and still wondering and thinking about Bryce.

 

[Marzipan]

I have heard nothing about draining the ponds since months ago, when I heard the parents were considering draining them in the spring. Did they give up on that? Why give up, if multiple K9’s tracked him there? And why are there drone and land searches still going on then if they believe he is in a pond? The last piece of news from Kare11 the end of April said the high water levels were limiting the search for him. Two months later and not a single update.
I also don’t understand the foundation, Bryce’s Blessings. It was set up back in Dec, before they recovered a body. It now says it was set up to celebrate his life and loss, and help others dealing with ambiguous loss. They are having a golf classic next month. If they know he is gone, how do they know without a body? And if they are sure he is not alive, how ambiguous is it? If he drank too much and fell in a pond, that’s not that ambiguous IMO. Is there something more to the story? Or is the ambiguous just because they can’t find his body?
I am as confused as I have been since he went missing and they called off the search after day one. I still check the web almost daily for any updates. I wish some kind of update would be released. So many of us are invested and still wondering and thinking about Bryce.

“Ambiguous loss” is a term that has a lot of research behind it. You can look it up along with social scientist Pauline Boss. If they are using that term, they are dealing with it using solid therapeutic guidance. And and it sounds like they are processing things about how one might expect, although naturally everyone is different. None of us can answer why the ponds haven’t been drained. I’d like to know that too.

 

[Trino]

I have heard nothing about draining the ponds since months ago, when I heard the parents were considering draining them in the spring. Did they give up on that? Why give up, if multiple K9’s tracked him there? And why are there drone and land searches still going on then if they believe he is in a pond? The last piece of news from Kare11 the end of April said the high water levels were limiting the search for him. Two months later and not a single update.
I also don’t understand the foundation, Bryce’s Blessings. It was set up back in Dec, before they recovered a body. It now says it was set up to celebrate his life and loss, and help others dealing with ambiguous loss. They are having a golf classic next month. If they know he is gone, how do they know without a body? And if they are sure he is not alive, how ambiguous is it? If he drank too much and fell in a pond, that’s not that ambiguous IMO. Is there something more to the story? Or is the ambiguous just because they can’t find his body?
I am as confused as I have been since he went missing and they called off the search after day one. I still check the web almost daily for any updates. I wish some kind of update would be released. So many of us are invested and still wondering and thinking about Bryce.

I have never experienced a loss like this so forgive me if I sound harsh. I realize people deal with disappearances and loss differently. However, I cannot see setting up a foundation and having a golf classic until one finds out what happened, has a body, and has a funeral service.

It seems the family has money enough to drain the pond nearest to Essendant. Why hasn't this been done? Will Bryce just stay somewhere in Ft Snelling State Park, assuming that's the correct location? Has LE given up? Are they considering he was maybe abducted?

I do respect we're not family, and family need to know is outside our questioning, but Ft Snelling State Park is a public place. Surely all efforts should be undertaken less some person come across his remains.

 

[Trino]

"We are excited to announce the 1st Annual Bryce’s Blessings Golf Classic at The Wilds Golf Club on July 18th!"

EXCITED? EXCITED? to announce a golf tournament in Bryce's name? WTF? Isn't the goal to find him? Seems the focus has been lost. Patty Wetterling did it right. Publicity. News releases. Posters. Involvement.