Apr 30
Stillwater, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Apr 30
Foreword
By Patty Wette
rling
I was devastated when I heard Jon was missing.
I knew a lot about missing children, the response needed, how to work with law enforcement, how to engage the media. These things I had learned through Jacob’s kidnapping and working with so many…way too many other searching families. But Jon’s disappearance was different. As much as I wanted to help, I knew little about finding a missing adult on a mountain.
David captures brilliantly the many stages of the search, of their grief and of their process of remembering. If there was a person or a resource to help anywhere…this amazing family found it and now offer that knowledge to others.
The world lost an amazing person on the Grand Mogul. But no mountain, no person; no accident can take away Jon’s spirit and love… and the energy that he poured into his life. We can all carry that forward in our own lives with those we care about.
This is an amazing story of love and commitment honoring the promise that we make to our children. I’ll always be here for you. They did it. They brought Jon home
I wish I had met Jon. This book allows me to meet him and live my life a little deeper because of him. Thank you, David.
Patty Wetterling
Child Safety Advocate
Jacob Wetterling Resource Center
www.jwrc.org
“Bringing Jon Home, the Wilderness Search for Jon Francis, is my first hand account of the long and complex wilderness search for our son, Jon, and the story of Jon’s remarkable life, sudden disappearance, and inspiring legacy.
On Saturday morning, July 15, 2006, Jon Francis, climbed to the summit of the Grand Mogul, in the Sawtooth Mountain Range of Central Idaho. He never returned. Law enforcement searched for only 29 hours. After the evening search team briefing, on July 17, 2006, the Incident Commander, approached me and said; “David, you need to give your son up to the mountain.”
Feeling helpless and abandoned the Francis family gathered that evening and committed to continue the search. We knew very little about mountain climbing or search and rescue, but we would learn and utilize the hundreds of volunteers who were streaming into Idaho to find Jon.
While I relentlessly pursued the search for my son, I also made wonderful discoveries about him. Jon Francis was a remarkable young man. He touched and inspired others. He loved deeply and was deeply loved.
I wrote Bringing Jon Home to help others, to expose the lack of public sector resources dedicated to finding missing adults, and finally to let people know that an uncommon young man, named Jon Francis, once lived and loved among us.” –David Francis
Available in June 2010 on: www.bringingjonhome.com
Aug 31
Dear Friends: August 2010
The Jon Francis Scholarship Fund was created in 2007, by friends of Jon, to continue his youth ministry. They felt it was appropriate to hold a race in his honor, to celebrate his life and ministry, and to raise money for camp scholarships. JFF has committed its support to the scholarship fund.
Jon loved teaching and mentoring children in the beauty of God’s creation. The Jon Francis Scholarship Fund will provide children, of limited means, the incredible experience of a week at Luther Heights Bible Camp, in the beautiful Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA), near Ketchum, Idaho. www.lutherheights.org.
You can provide a camp scholarship by adopting a runner in the 2nd annual Jon Francis Race to Alturas, on August 14, 2010. Competitive running was an important contributor to Jon’s remarkable character and the source of many of our memories of him. And Jon’s many summers at Luther Heights Bible Camp strengthened his faith and ministry.
Consider adopting a runner for $25.00. A week at Luther Heights costs around $250.00. The race is limited to 100 runners by SNRA Forest Service Rules. Ten supporters will send one child to camp. If all 100 runners are adopted, we will have 10 happy campers!
Your gift is tax deductible and greatly appreciated. You can even donate on-line at www.jonfrancis.org. Thank you for caring and for passing on Jon’s legacy of love and service.
Best Regards, David Francis
Adopt-A-Runner
Jon Francis Foundation is an approved Minnesota, nonprofit, IRS tax exempt, 501(c) (3) corporation.
May 1
A helping hand during trying times; Jon Francis Foundation works to pass legislation; help families find missing loved ones
After 36 hours, authorities told Brian Swanson they were giving up the search for his 19-year-old son Brandon, who went missing near Taunton, Minn., on May 14.
Faced with the difficult task of continuing the search on his own, Swanson turned to Stillwater resident David Francis, who endured a similar ordeal when his son Jon went missing in 2006 and has since founded the Jon Francis Foundation to help families find loved ones lost in the wilderness.
At an annual fundraiser for Stillwater area Boy Scouts at the Lowell Inn on Thursday morning, Francis outlined the latest efforts of the foundation, which he said was founded "to mold our sorrow into hope and purpose."
Francis is now working with Swanson to pass legislation that would require a quicker response when young adults are reported missing.
The bill, known as "Brandon's Law," was previously passed unanimously by the state House of Representatives; the state Senate approved it unanimously on Thursday.
Francis and Swanson hope Gov. Tim Pawlenty will sign the bill on May 14, a year after Brandon Swanson disappeared. The JFF is helping fund the law enforcement training associated with the bill; without that funding, Francis said, the bill likely would not have received full support from lawmakers.
For Swanson - who has stayed with Francis and his wife Linda when he has been in the Twin Cities to support the bill - the help from the Jon Francis Foundation has been invaluable.
"They've helped us get a hold of people who know how to get things in order to conduct a search," Swanson said. "(Francis) has also helped us with some of the emotional issues; helping us work through our grief."
Jon's story
Francis began his presentation Thursday by showing family photos of Jon and spoke of his son's love of the outdoors and commitment to his faith.
A member of the 1997 Stillwater Area High School state champion track team and three-sport athlete, Jon also ran at Augustana College, where he earned degrees in Spanish, international studies and religion. Jon found his calling in religion and became a youth minister at Luther Heights Bible Camp near Ketchum, Idaho, in 2006.
After Jon's passing, those who worked with him told the family, "Your son was a gift ... he had an authentic faith," Francis said.
As an avid outdoorsman, Jon became a "very capable mountain climber," Francis said. Jon went missing during a solo climb up the rugged, 9,733-foot Grand Mogul peak in Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains.
"We were thrown into deep darkness and despair," he said.
When local search efforts were called off, Francis continued on his own and, with the help of volunteers, found Jon's remains on July 24, 2007.
At the time, Francis expressed his frustration with Idaho authorities, one of whom told him that he should simply accept that Jon would never be found.
"We could not give our son up to the mountain," Francis said.
Since then, Francis has turned the tragedy into an opportunity, founding the JFF as a way to educate and support other families facing similar situations. He has also written a book, "Bringing Jon Home: A Father's Journey of Unconditional Love and Unresolved Loss."
A logbook atop Grand Mogul captured Jon's final words: "07/15/06. Jon Francis, *LHBC and Ogden Utah. Climbed avalanche field to east face and east ridge. Great times bouldering! All Glory to God for the climb and the beautiful Sawtooths."
"I know he was close to the creator at the summit," Francis said.
Still running
Jon Francis and his father often participated in Lumberjack Days races, and when news of a Stillwater marathon broke, Francis approached organizer Dave Eckberg about naming one of the events after his late son.
"It's great that we're able to honor the Francis family," Eckberg said."(Jon) was just such a spectacular young man and an amazing person."
As a young man, Jon's running hero was Steve Prefontaine, who is often credited with sparking the running boom in the 1970s.
"Jon was a frontrunner, he would get out front and leave nothing on the track," Francis said.
Francis started to train for the half marathon, but some thought he would be better served as a greeter.
"That gave me an excuse not to run," he said.
The Stillwater Marathon will be held Sunday, May 24. For more information visit www.stillwatermarathon.com.
Scouting
While Francis gave the keynote address during Thursday morning's fundraiser, speaker Jack Piepel, a retired Andersen Windows vice president, talked about the benefits of Scouting.
Scouting activities help young people learn how to better interact and solve problems, tools they will need as they become tomorrow's leaders, Piepel said. And the community projects of Eagle Scouts are especially helpful during the current economic strife, he said.
Stillwater Mayor Ken Harycki, donning his Scout uniform, also praised Scouts' work and the dedication of adult volunteers. He also mentioned Councilman Jim Roush's son, who is planning to build a canoe launch on Stillwater's Lake McKusick as part of an Eagle Scout project. Harycki's son, who is also pursuing his Eagle badge, is looking into updating the decorative snowflakes that adorn the lampposts in downtown Stillwater during the winter months.
As for Francis, he was a Cub Scout for one year; Jon lasted two.
"They didn't play enough baseball and football," he said.
Lowell Inn owner Dick Anderson provided the facility and breakfast for Thursday's event.
Apr 30
MINNESOTA HOUSE AND SENATE PROVIDE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP BY PASSING MISSING PERSONS’ LEGISLATION BRANDON’S LAW
BRANDON’S LAW WILL HELP MINNESOTA FAMILIES BY BROADENING STATE’S MISSING PERSONS’ STATUTE
Saint Paul, Minnesota, April 30, 2009—Today the Minnesota Senate unanimously passed the Minnesota Missing Persons’ Act (HF 1242) or Brandon’s Law, named in honor of 19 year old Brandon Swanson, missing near Marshall, Minnesota since May 14, 2008. Passage of this legislation will have a positive impact on those who suffer the misfortune of having a loved one go missing. Brandon’s law will broaden Minnesota’s Missing Persons Statute that up until today focused on missing children and will create criteria and protocols for clear guidance and standards to law enforcement officials when confronted with a missing persons’case.
“The law expands the definition of a missing person, acknowledging the rest of humanity–those over 18 years of age and endangered persons, adults missing under dangerous or precarious circumstances. David Francis, president of the Jon Francis Foundation, a family advocate said. “We are pleased that Brandon’s Law has been passed. I believe that this is good public policy that resulted from the leadership of Minnesota lawmakers and law enforcement, and particularly families and individuals who are suffering because of our growing number of unsolved missing person’s cases.”
“I hope that Brandon’s Law will save others from the pain that I encountered when local law enforcement resisted filing a missing persons’ report and said to me, ‘well ma’am your son is 19 and he has a right to go missing,’” said Annette Swanson, mother of Brandon, who initiated this legislative effort.
Key criteria that law enforcement would consider to determine if a missing person is endangered include:
* The person is missing as a result of a confirmed abduction or under circumstances that indicate that the person’s disappearance was not voluntary.
* The person is missing under known dangerous circumstances such as near a lake or river.
* There is evidence that the missing person is in need of medical attention or prescription medication such that there will be serious, adverse effect on the person’s health if he or she does not receive medical care.
* The missing person is mentally impaired.
* The missing person has been the subject of past threats or acts of violence.
* Evidence that the missing person is lost in the wilderness, back country, or outdoors where survival is precarious, presenting a critical situation that requires an immediate and effective investigation and search and rescue efforts.
Brandon’s Law allows room for law enforcement discretion in determining if a missing person is endangered during process of gathering and reviewing evidence and looking at other possible factors. In addition, Brandon’s Law requires that law enforcement file a detailed and standardized missing persons report “without delay” and begin an investigation.
The standardized report of a missing person will be sent to the state’s clearinghouse for missing persons’ information located at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s (BCA) Criminal Justice Information System. Reported information will then be sent to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Currently in Minnesota, there are a significant number of unsolved missing persons’ cases and unidentified remains cases. This sharing of missing persons’ information will help solve missing persons’ cases.
Brandon’s Law implements effective, consistent and streamlined procedures that will ultimately help law enforcement solve missing persons’ cases and will ease the burden on families and individuals who suffer the grief and unresolved loss resulting from a missing loved one.
The Jon Francis Foundation
The mission of The Jon Francis Foundation (JFF) is to support and empower others, coping with the disappearance of a loved one, by providing hope, knowledge and resources and to reduce incidents of loss through wilderness safety training and information. Jon Francis Foundation is an approved Minnesota, nonprofit, IRS tax exempt, 501(c) (3) corporation.
Recent Comments