Josie Naterer, whose son Jordan has been missing for 12 days, holds tight to her belief the 25-year-old will be found safe in Manning Park.
“I am pretty confident,” she said during an interview, in a quiet sitting room at the park lodge, on the morning of Thursday, Oct. 22.
With her composure failing for only a moment, she added: “He’s going to come out of a helicopter and say ‘what took you so long?'”
That was just hours after the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) reactivated the official search for Jordan, which was suspended Saturday, Oct. 17. Following the suspension of the search, Josie, her family and friends decided to go out and look for Jordan on their own.
Related: Family devastated as search for missing Manning Park hiker suspended
According to media relations officer Constable Tania Visitin the investigation into Jordan’s disappearance is “active and ongoing…We have got a slew of people on this.”
The search was initially suspended after “exhaustive efforts” because of poor weather and the risk to volunteers, she said.
“We have a safer weather window now.”
On Thursday (Oct.22), at least three ground search and rescue groups, including one from Princeton and another from Hope, were on the trails,while RCMP was operating two helicopters and a drone.
A dedicated tip line was established one day earlier.
Josie said new information suggests Jordan is wearing a red coat and has an orange tent and a blue sleeping bag, which is good for temperatures as low as -9 C.
“If he’s in his tent and he has this sleeping bag he can go 30 days, if he has water, and he can get that from snow.”
Related: ‘Please pray for our son,’ says mother of missing hiker
Over the past week, the Naterer family, with assistance from Jordan’s co-workers and friends, hired a tracker and employed drones and helicopters for their search.
“We are feeling love and support.”
A gofundme page has raised $62,446 to help fund the activities.
A painful question that has been asked of Josie is one of suicide; however, the mother doesn’t flinch at the word.
“People are saying things to us. But absolutely no way. If you know Jordan – it wouldn’t be in his nature.”
Jordan was last seen Saturday, Oct. 10, after telling friends he was going for an overnight hike. After he failed to return for a Thanksgiving dinner party, his car was located at the Lightning Lake parking lot. A police search of his computer revealed he had looked up the Frosty Mountain trail loop.
Anyone who may have seen Jordan, or has any information, is asked to call the tip line at 1-604-717-2530.
Jordan, an electrical engineer specializing in wireless communication, moved to B.C. from his family’s home in St. John’s two years ago.
“He’s a proud Newfoundlander and all of Newfoundland wants him home and safe,” said Josie with a smile.
Related: Search efforts to resume for missing Manning Park hiker; Trudeau speaks on case
