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Chuck Morris, the percussionist for electronic jam band Lotus, is missing after taking a kayaking trip with his son in Arkansas last week.
During a spring break vacation with partner Jennifer Thompson and their son, Wesleyan University student Charley, 20, and 12-year-old daughter Amelia, Morris, 47, left their Airbnb accommodation to kayak on Beaver Lake this past Thursday.
The men visited the lake near Fayetteville before a storm that was forecast to hit the area. At the time, Thompson and Amelia had left to go into town and returned to their Airbnb expecting to prepare for a family game night.
Instead, they found that the men weren't back. Because it hadn't started raining yet, Thompson assumed the two were still making the most of their time outdoors, she told The Kansas City Star.
As time went on, a concerned Thompson and her daughter drove around the area in search of the men before reporting them missing to authorities later that afternoon.
In the days since, relatives, friends and strangers have joined local law enforcement teams in their search for the men. Authorities have found kayaks, a jacket and what they believe is a glove or hat, but the two remain missing.
Thompson told the Star it's possible they drowned in the lake, where surrounding winds had risen to 35 miles per hour while they were out kayaking.
"We didn't realize how tumultuous the water can get, especially in certain areas of Beaver Lake," Thompson said.
She said the trip was taken to relax after a stressful year of upheaval for the family, who in August had relocated to Kansas City, Missouri, from Denver.
"It was really just a chance for our family to come together and unplug," she said. "Just enjoy each other and just reconnect."
On Friday, Morris' bandmates issued an appeal via their Facebook page, asking for possible eyewitnesses or anybody with information to contact local authorities.
They also shared a link to a GoFundMe page started by a family friend to "provide financial support to Chuck's immediate family." The campaign has raised more than $70,000 in donations.
In a Facebook post, the band shared a quote from Thompson that read: "Please know how grateful our family is for all the outpouring of support. Chuck absolutely loves the Lotus family and fans and was so inspired after coming home from this last tour. You make his life so meaningful and we are thankful for that. Please continue to hold my lovely husband and son in your hearts and prayers."
She told the Star: "The outpouring of love that we have received from the outside community has been glorious. It's been just really lovely.... It's a beautiful reminder of how strong and loving the human spirit is."
About the writer
Ryan Smith is a Newsweek Senior Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on ... Read more