You may have heard about the search in Colorado for missing hunter Walter Eugene Benskin of Santa Fe; there was an article about him in the GCDN on Nov. 2.
Walter, “Bubba” to his friends and family, is the husband of one of our fellow UTMB employees; she works in John Sealy. He’s an experienced outdoorsman, and has been trekking to this patch of wilderness for the past 15 years. Bubba was last seen Oct. 25 at Ripple Creek Pass in Rio Blanco County, a remote, rugged part of Northwest Colorado bordering Utah. A snowstorm dropped about 2 feet of snow in the area around the time he disappeared, and fairly extensive search and rescue efforts have not produced any results. The situation looks grim, and friends and family are understandably distraught and saddened. By all accounts, Walter’s one of those “good guys,” and thoughts have turned to memorials and saying “goodbye.”
Your thoughts, prayers, positive energy, good karma and maybe one big miracle—would all be welcome.
Embrace those you love, be glad for what you have. Life is a gift and all too often, it’s way too short.
As the family is back in CO searching for Walter, my prayers are with them. As not only his wife works at UTMB, but his daughter graduated with me from there and now works there. She is the strongest woman I have ever met.
God Speed.