An Arkansas man is believed to be dead at sea. He had been traveling with his dog when both disappeared. Now, authorities believe that both died in the Atlantic off North Carolina's Outer Banks.
39-year-old Chris Palmer disappeared in January. Authorities later found his 2017 Ford F-250 at Cape Hatteras National Seashore on Jan. 12. His kayak was missing from the vehicle. In a statement at the time, authorities said, "Palmer is believed to be traveling with his German shepherd and may still be in the area."
Now, his family believe that he took his own life at sea. Palmer's father shared that he learned his son was facing a terminal illness. "We recently learned that Christopher was facing a terminal illness. Knowing this has helped us understand the choices he made. Christopher loved the outdoors and valued his independence. The treatments ahead would have taken much of that away, and he did not want that future for himself," Bren explained in a heartwrenching post on Facebook.
Perished At 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," he added.
Authorities have not confirmed his passing. However, the man's father further noted that Christopher's dog was also sick as well.
He wrote, "This will the only time I comment on Christophers beloved Zoey. This for those that dont know him or us that have been speculating. She was a beautiful well behaved 11 year old German Shepard that he loved. She has been by his side since she was a puppy. Zoey was very sick took several medications and also had sever hip dysplasia. Its our belief that our son spent some time in the woods to be with her in her final days. Evidence of that was a shovel found in his truck and after her passing he laid her to rest and continued his trip to the coast. We thank everyone for their concern and prayers for Zoey."
If you are struggling with your mental health or thoughts of suicide, dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
