Family holds out hope for missing man

As the search for a man missing in Shenandoah National Park grinds on, the family of Earl Funk this morning issued a statement providing more information about Funk and thanking local and national officials for their ongoing efforts to find him.

Funk, 49, was last seen in the Cedar Mountain area on Sept. 29. He and friends were hunting for ginseng root and the friends last saw him in a rugged area of the mountains. Since then, search efforts have not met success.

“We still hold out hope that Earl may be found alive and rescued. We fervently pray for this outcome,“ said the family statement, issued by a first cousin of Funk, Robyn Davis Sekula. “We hope that those who read this message will pray with us. Pray for peace and good weather for those searching.“

The statement describes Funk as an outdoorsman with deep experience and familiarity with the terrain.

“If there is anyone who could survive in this territory, it would be Earl,“ the statement said.

For more details and the latest on the search efforts, see Friday’s Daily Progress.