There is nothing we can say, or in this case, write, that would in any way ease the pain, the grief of the family of Timothy Howell Hearn.

There is nothing we can do, or offer, that would add one more moment together, or go back in time and change what happened.

But what we have done, and what we will continue to do, is pray for the Hearn family, who has suffered for nearly two years in a the loss and resulting search.

Monday, that search, which began with Timothy’s disappearance while working aboard a towboat on the Mississippi in November 2018, came to an end, as remains discovered in July along the river in Adams County were positively identified using DNA. Timothy had been found, and closure had been provided.

While there was a closure to the search, there remains the grief and the mourning. But, the Bible says, “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalms 30:5) We are so truly thankful for that morning when it comes.

Timothy’s family has been buoyed by this community’s love and prayers from the very first moments news broke of his disappearance. This community’s love and prayers carried them through the early, fruitless days of the search by law enforcement and emergency response officials near Tensas Parish. And, that love and prayer carried them through the remaining months until Monday’s confirmation. It will carry them even farther.

And while we pray for Timothy’s family, we pray too for his co-workers, the rescuers and the searchers. We pray too for those who discovered his remains and for the officials who, in working with the family, collected DNA samples to bring this search — this long search — to an end.

But even with Monday’s confirmation, there are still questions. What caused him to fall into the river? What was the cause of death? And of course, the question that we can never answer, why?

“… joy cometh in the morning” we are told. Let us hope so for all involved. Monday’s announcement brought some closure, but there is still far more to pray for.