5 years after his son went missing in the Sawtooths, a Minnesota man is returning to tell his story in hopes of helping others.  David Francis' 24-year-old son, Jon, a youth minister in Ogden, Utah, and a counselor at Luther Heights Bible Camp near Stanley, died from a fall while climbing Grand Mogul in the Sawtooths in 2006. On the day he died, he was hiking alone -no one knew where he was on the mountain. Rescue efforts were called off after a couple days, so the Francis family turned to private searchers to look for their son. They did not find Jon Francis' remains until a year later.  David Francis tells the Idaho mountain express that five years later his anger at Custer County officials who he believes gave up the search has changed. He says the anger has turned into action. In 2007, his family created the Jon Francis Foundation to support other families search for missing loved ones. Francis has also authored a memoir of the search after his son's remains were found. He describes the book as a "cautionary tale" for hikers and climbers and a commemoration of Jon Francis' life and ministry. "Bringing Jon Home" was a finalist for a 2011 Midwest Book Award in the inspiration/gift book category and a finalist for the 2011 National Indie Excellence Award in the memoir category.  Francis will honor the fifth anniversary of his son's disappearance this year with book signings and readings across Idaho. He said he wants to thank the community that had worked to help his family during the search.

David will make the following appearances:

1 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 7. Borders Books, Boise Towne Square, 350 North Milwaukee St., Boise

10:30 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 8. King of Glory Lutheran Church, 3430 North Maple Grove Road, Boise

6 p.m., Wed., Aug. 10. The Community Library, 415 North Spruce Ave., Ketchum

6 p.m., Friday Aug. 12, Iconoclast Books, 671 Sun Valley Road, Ketchum

10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 13, Jon Francis Race to Alturas, Luther Heights Bible Camp, Stanley

4 p.m., Saturday Aug. 13, Hailey Public Library, 7 West Croy St., Hailey

 

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