About 8 or 9 years ago i was hiking someplace that I had never been and found a body--It was also an old man, an alzheimers patient who had wandered off and couldnt be found. It was sad and weird, and shook me as well for a little bit of time.
His children, who happened to be born again Christians, told me that "that they were praying that the Lord would send someone to find him".
I dont know about that, but I was glad he was found for his and the families sake. It took awhile for me to readjust back to normal life after that experience-It was a bit of a shock. Take care of yourself, something like that isnt an everyday occurence.
Yeah, it's good that he was found. It is now speculated that he simply fell in the drink somewhere and drowned, and washed up on the rocks next to where I work. And, as you said, at least he was found, as opposed to just plain disappeared without a trace. Turns out he was a really fine Indian man, an Elder in the local Tlingit Tribe, and one whom many loved. I saw a picture of him when he was alive, and he was a nice looking man. And so, I am glad that I chose not to get too close of a look. Death is so ugly...
Oh, sure DMiller. I forgot about that aspect of the Empire...
Body of resident found in channel
Officials do not suspect foul play
By ERIC MORRISON
JUNEAU EMPIRE
Harry Brensdal
The body of longtime Juneau resident Harry Brensdal, 75, was discovered Tuesday morning on the tidal flats near the Douglas Island Pink and Chum hatchery.
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A hatchery employee found the body at the high tide line on the east side of Gastineau Channel shortly before 8 a.m., Capt. Jerry Nankervis of the Juneau Police Department said. He said investigators are not sure how long the body was in the water or how it came to rest on the beach about 100 feet south of the hatchery.
"We have nothing to indicate at this time that foul play is involved," Nankervis said.
The State Medical Examiner's Office has agreed to do an autopsy and the results will not be known for a couple of weeks, Nankervis said. A toxicology test also has been requested.
"We're hoping to find out what the cause of death is," he said. "That's what our primary cause is."
Brensdal appeared to have received a blow to the forehead, Nankervis said. He said Brensdal was not reported missing before the discovery of his body Tuesday morning.
Hatchery Manager Steve Schick was surveying for salmon in the water near DIPAC Tuesday morning when he said he saw what appeared to be a mannequin on the rocks.
"When I got closer, I saw it was a person," Schick said. "I just knew that something wasn't right. I knew that the person was dead. I knew a live person wouldn't be laying like that."
Schick said he called his boss to alert authorities while he stayed in the vicinity to help police officers locate the body.
"I was in a little bit of shock for a while," he said. "It's not something you see everyday. It's not something you want to see everyday."
The body appeared to have washed up on the rocks during the evening's 16-foot high tide, Sgt. Dave Campbell said.
Investigators are not sure where, when or how Brensdal got into the water, Nankervis said.
Brian Wallace / Juneau Empire
Investigating the cause of death: Law-enforcement officials investigate the scene Tuesday where the body of Juneau resident Harry Brensdal, 75, was discovered on the tidal flats near Douglas Island Pink and Chum hatchery.
Brensdal's wife, Johanna Brensdal, said the couple would have celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary on Sunday. She said he was a retired commercial fisherman who liked to watch baseball and was a fan of the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres.
"We traveled quite a bit and took in baseball games when we could," she said. "I used to tease him about not being a very die-hard Cubs fan."
Family members said Brensdal was a great cook and a compassionate man who loved his three children, five grandchildren and two cats.
"I really remember him as being a person who cared for his family," brother-in-law Cy Peck Jr. said.
Peck said he last saw Brensdal over the weekend.
"He seemed to be in a happy mood," he said. "His demeanor was pretty good."
Peck said the family is trying to figure out where Brensdal was last seen or by whom.
"He was pretty well-known in Juneau," Peck said. "He could be anywhere and feel comfortable wherever he was. It wasn't unusual to see him when I did see him downtown the other day."
Nankervis said the investigation is ongoing and anyone who may have seen Brensdal in the last couple of days is urged to contact police. Brensdal was an Alaskan Native approximately five-foot-four who weighed about 200 pounds. He was found wearing gray Velcro tennis shoes, blue denim jeans and a blue hooded pullover.
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likeaneagle
OMG, Johnny, How awful for you and your boss..
I cant imagine what you felt..:(
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topoftheworld
So sorry, Jonny. How awful....
Guess if there is one up side, it's that he was found, and found by a loving man.
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Stayed Too Long
What would be the down side of him being found by an unloving man and the up side of being found by a loving man? Just curious.
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mstar1
How are you doin Jonny?
About 8 or 9 years ago i was hiking someplace that I had never been and found a body--It was also an old man, an alzheimers patient who had wandered off and couldnt be found. It was sad and weird, and shook me as well for a little bit of time.
His children, who happened to be born again Christians, told me that "that they were praying that the Lord would send someone to find him".
I dont know about that, but I was glad he was found for his and the families sake. It took awhile for me to readjust back to normal life after that experience-It was a bit of a shock. Take care of yourself, something like that isnt an everyday occurence.
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J0nny Ling0
Yeah, it's good that he was found. It is now speculated that he simply fell in the drink somewhere and drowned, and washed up on the rocks next to where I work. And, as you said, at least he was found, as opposed to just plain disappeared without a trace. Turns out he was a really fine Indian man, an Elder in the local Tlingit Tribe, and one whom many loved. I saw a picture of him when he was alive, and he was a nice looking man. And so, I am glad that I chose not to get too close of a look. Death is so ugly...
Here is a more recent article
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/082306...060823015.shtml
And so. Good bye Harry Brensdal. Rest in peace....
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dmiller
Jonny --- can you copy and paste the article??
I don't want to have to register to the newspaper, in order to read the entire thing. Thanks.
And -- yea -- I wouldn't have wanted to be in your shoes, when you all saw him. :(
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J0nny Ling0
Oh, sure DMiller. I forgot about that aspect of the Empire...
Body of resident found in channel
Officials do not suspect foul play
By ERIC MORRISON
JUNEAU EMPIRE
Harry Brensdal
The body of longtime Juneau resident Harry Brensdal, 75, was discovered Tuesday morning on the tidal flats near the Douglas Island Pink and Chum hatchery.
Print This
E-Mail This
Send editor a comment
Sound off on the important issues at
A hatchery employee found the body at the high tide line on the east side of Gastineau Channel shortly before 8 a.m., Capt. Jerry Nankervis of the Juneau Police Department said. He said investigators are not sure how long the body was in the water or how it came to rest on the beach about 100 feet south of the hatchery.
"We have nothing to indicate at this time that foul play is involved," Nankervis said.
The State Medical Examiner's Office has agreed to do an autopsy and the results will not be known for a couple of weeks, Nankervis said. A toxicology test also has been requested.
"We're hoping to find out what the cause of death is," he said. "That's what our primary cause is."
Brensdal appeared to have received a blow to the forehead, Nankervis said. He said Brensdal was not reported missing before the discovery of his body Tuesday morning.
Hatchery Manager Steve Schick was surveying for salmon in the water near DIPAC Tuesday morning when he said he saw what appeared to be a mannequin on the rocks.
"When I got closer, I saw it was a person," Schick said. "I just knew that something wasn't right. I knew that the person was dead. I knew a live person wouldn't be laying like that."
Schick said he called his boss to alert authorities while he stayed in the vicinity to help police officers locate the body.
"I was in a little bit of shock for a while," he said. "It's not something you see everyday. It's not something you want to see everyday."
The body appeared to have washed up on the rocks during the evening's 16-foot high tide, Sgt. Dave Campbell said.
Investigators are not sure where, when or how Brensdal got into the water, Nankervis said.
Brian Wallace / Juneau Empire
Investigating the cause of death: Law-enforcement officials investigate the scene Tuesday where the body of Juneau resident Harry Brensdal, 75, was discovered on the tidal flats near Douglas Island Pink and Chum hatchery.
Brensdal's wife, Johanna Brensdal, said the couple would have celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary on Sunday. She said he was a retired commercial fisherman who liked to watch baseball and was a fan of the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres.
"We traveled quite a bit and took in baseball games when we could," she said. "I used to tease him about not being a very die-hard Cubs fan."
Family members said Brensdal was a great cook and a compassionate man who loved his three children, five grandchildren and two cats.
"I really remember him as being a person who cared for his family," brother-in-law Cy Peck Jr. said.
Peck said he last saw Brensdal over the weekend.
"He seemed to be in a happy mood," he said. "His demeanor was pretty good."
Peck said the family is trying to figure out where Brensdal was last seen or by whom.
"He was pretty well-known in Juneau," Peck said. "He could be anywhere and feel comfortable wherever he was. It wasn't unusual to see him when I did see him downtown the other day."
Nankervis said the investigation is ongoing and anyone who may have seen Brensdal in the last couple of days is urged to contact police. Brensdal was an Alaskan Native approximately five-foot-four who weighed about 200 pounds. He was found wearing gray Velcro tennis shoes, blue denim jeans and a blue hooded pullover.
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