Chris Palmer, 39, sparked an urgent search after he and his German Shepherd Zoey vanished earlier this month during a trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina.
Missing hiker Chris Palmer is believed to have died by suicide, his dad announcedCredit: National Park Service
Mourning father Bren Palmer has opened up about what happened to his son’s missing dogCredit: Facebook
After days of fighting for answers, Palmer’s mourning father Bren Palmer revealed Saturday that his son took his own life after getting a fatal diagnosis.
On Sunday, Bren opened up about what happened to his son’s beloved dog Zoey, revealing that she had likely died before Palmer’s death.
“Zoey was very sick took several medications and also had severe hip dysplasia,” the dad wrote in a Facebook post.
“It’s our belief that our son spent some time in the woods to be with her in her final days.”
Major airport abandoned in eerie pics after all flights canceled in winter storm
Bren said that a shovel was found in the back of his son’s car, which he believes was used to bury Zoey somewhere during his weeks-long hiking excursion.
The mourning father described Zoey as a “beautiful well behaved 11 year old German Shepard that he loved.”
“She has been by his side since she was a puppy,” Bren wrote.
On Saturday, Bren announced that search efforts had been halted after they learned that Palmer was likely dead.
“We recently learned that Christopher was facing a terminal illness,” he wrote.
“Knowing this has helped us understand the choices he made.”
Bren explained that his son’s belongings were found on the coastline, and it’s believed that he “perished in the sea.”
“We are deeply proud of the man Christopher was, and we hope his story brings awareness to the emotional and mental burdens people can face during serious medical challenges,” wrote the heartbroken dad.
Palmer’s abandoned Ford F-250 was found in the Outer Banks on January 12 as he was traveling through National Parks in the Southeast.
On January 16, authorities in Arkansas, where he was from, declared him missing when no one claimed the car.
Bren previously said he had last heard from his son on January 9, when the hiker told him that he was heading toward Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia.
Fears for Palmer’s safety mounted when cops released surveillance footage of the hiker’s truck on its way to the Outer Banks with a kayak in the back.
When they found the abandoned truck, they said the kayak was nowhere to be seen.
Bren thanked search crews for their help during the days-long investigation, and said he appreciated every prayer and positive thought.
“It has been profoundly humbling to see so many people care for someone they never met,” he wrote.
“Our family is at peace and asks that Christopher’s memory and the safety of others be respected as we seek closure.”
