NORMALLY WHEN THE MARQUETTE COMMUNITY comes together it’s for some kind of celebration, like our 4th of July Parade, or a big event, like our recent UP200 Sled Dog Race.
This past week citizens came out in force for a reason unlike any we’ve seen recently, or ever want to see again.
Trenton Massey, a 21-year-old Northern student went missing sometime early last Sunday morning. Through Facebook, his mother alerted the community that her son never made it back to his apartment after spending Saturday night out with friends.
She asked for the community’s help in finding Trenton… and she got it. Hundreds of people, few who actually knew him, joined the official police search, hoping he would be found before succumbing to the harsh February elements.
Apparently he had left his friends to circle back and search for his phone, which he lost somewhere on the evening’s travels.
Looking for Trenton
Speculation is that Trenton may have become disoriented due to alcohol impairment and the onset of hypothermia. The temperature that night wasn’t the coldest of the season, but those who’ve spent too much time outside clearing snow know it doesn’t take long to lose feeling in your extremities.
Using information gathered from security cameras, searchers worked the areas where Trenton was last seen. They poked snow piles with ski poles, peeked in cars and outbuildings, and, using grid search techniques, walked shoulder-to-shoulder checking every square inch where Trenton might be found.
The search continued into Monday, with local businesses offering their space as staging areas for search parties. Food and beverages were donated so volunteers could spend more time searching and less time taking care of their own needs.
On Tuesday, the official police search focused on the ice shelf which had formed in the lower harbor. Footprints indicated Trenton may have wandered out onto the frozen lake and fell through, into the unforgiving icy water.
During one of our never-ending snowstorms, the search continued on land as divers braced the numbing cold of Lake Superior hoping to bring an end to a mother’s worst nightmare.
Losing Hope
By this time the realization had set in that Trenton was unlikely to be found alive. Unless he had holed up with someone unaware of the search, or had somehow found warm shelter, this story was not going to end well.
Then, on Wednesday, Marquette Police Chief Ryan Grim announced the official search had been called off. Despite their efforts, Trenton had not been found, and there was nowhere else to look.
A Mother’s Son
On the weekend prior to Trenton’s disappearance, his mom, Sarah, posted pictures on Facebook of her and her son enjoying the sights and sounds of the UP200. It was Valentine’s Day, and the smiles on Sarah’s face showed the genuine love and pride she had for Trenton.
After the announcement of the search’s conclusion, Sarah, representing Trenton’s dad, sister, and entire family, posted again. She was no longer asking for help to find her son. In addition to going over all the “what ifs” and thanking everyone who contributed to the effort, she eulogized Trenton.
In part she said, “…he was one of a kind, an amazing guy, would give the shirt off his back, kind, selfless, likeable, loveable, respectful, an amazing soul, one to go above and beyond and be above and beyond, he had done no one any wrong.. he lit up my world and everyone one else’s around him.”
One of Us
Probably like you, I didn’t know Trenton. But I’ve seen numerous posts from those who did, and they echo what Sarah said about this young man. She wondered… why her Trenton? “Why someone who was such a gift to this world?”
I had a friend who lost her daughter in a tragic accident when she was still a teenager. I asked her how she dealt with such a loss. She said something to the effect… “We don’t mourn. We cherish her memory and the time we had with her.” Maybe, leaning on each other, Trenton’s family can find such peace.
We’ll never know the details of Trenton’s last hours. But those are unimportant when compared to the details of his 21 years spent with family and friends.
A Story We Didn’t Need
The past week has seen stories of snow and snow removal, roof cave-ins, a mall’s closing, and other such winter calamities. None will compare to the tragic and seemingly avoidable loss of a person so young… one of ours.
Yes, our community came together in a time of need. And for that, we can be proud. May we never have to come together for such a reason, ever again.