“From the moment we learned of Lynch’s disappearance, Haywood County Emergency Management and National Park Service staff worked quickly to take an aggressive and proactive approach with search tactics due to the dire circumstances surrounding Lynch’s health condition,” said Park Chief Ranger Lisa Hendy. “The successful utilization of a joint command structure was definitely a contributing factor to the success of this operation. We cannot thank all of the agencies who supported this effort enough for their dedicated commitment to bringing Mr. Lynch home safely to his family.”

Before the search’s successful conclusion, Lynch, who is from Woodbridge, New Jersey, was last seen at The Swag Resort in Haywood County along the park boundary at 3:20 p.m. Saturday, July 27. He has mild dementia and may have been confused about his location, the park said in an initial press release. 

A helicopter equipped with infrared traveled the area on Sunday, July 28, and beginning on that day drones began to be used to get a birds-eye view of the search area. By Monday, July 29, the search had amplified to include 180 searchers, investigators and incident command personnel from 30 different agencies. Another helicopter was deployed on Tuesday, July 30, and trackers with dog search teams went out to examine any points of interest identified by the helicopter. By that point, 209 searchers, trackers and incident command personnel from 323 agencies were involved, with about 60 agencies assisting over the course of the entire operation. 

Grid search team members encountered the first significant lead of the ordeal on Wednesday, July 31, when they discovered a hat and pair of sunglasses about 1,600 feet southeast of the Cataloochee Divide Trail. Shortly afterward, a second grid search team found what appeared to be fresh footprints leading toward Ferguson Cabin. After these finds, search efforts were consolidated and redirected to areas adjacent to where the clues were discovered. Within a few hours, Lynch was discovered after he responded to searchers’ yells, only about three-quarters of a mile from the last place he’d been seen. 

Lynch was transported by Haywood County EMS to Haywood Regional Medical Center for assessment where he was reunited with his family, who had gathered near the command center daily since his disappearance.