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Craig Strickland: Singer Feared Dead After Vanishing During Winter Storm

By Toni Matthews
Published on: 02:06 PST, Dec 30, 2015

Fans of country music singer Craig Strickland are offering prayers, hoping that any news about the whereabouts of the missing Backroad Anthem vocalist will be good news. For now, all that’s known is that authorities resumed their search for the 29-year-old Arkansas native on Wednesday morning after it was called off for the night on Tuesday.

According to the Wrap, Craig is missing and feared dead after he and friend Chase Morland went on a duck hunting trip in Kay County, Oklahoma, last weekend. CNN reports that the men departed on Sunday at around 2 a.m. When they failed to make contact with friends or family members after a 24-hour period, a search began.

The father of Craig Strickland was able to share a message through the band on Monday, one that helped the public understand the emotional weight resting on the shoulders of the man’s family and friends.

“We are trying to think of a scenario where he is still alive. Hoping against the odds We can’t even stand to think about it. We are devastated. Only God & time can put us back together.”

CNN described the weather at the time of their trip as “perilous.”

“The weather at the time of the trip was perilous — rain, sleet and snow pelted the area, with wind gusts of up to 45 mph and wind chills as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit — and Morland acknowledged the danger in what is, in retrospect, a haunting tweet Saturday night.”

Officials located the boat used by the two men on Monday just after midnight. It had reportedly capsized, and there were “no personal floatation devices in use.” The “haunting” tweet by Chase revealed the pair’s plans to go duck hunting in Oklahoma despite the dangers of Winter Storm Goliath.

Authorities have yet to reveal a cause of death for Morland. Although Chase was found relatively early into the search, officials continue to search for Craig Strickland days after he went missing. Police have yet to locate Strickland, but they were able to find his dog, Sam. Fortunately, the animal survived the worst of Winter Storm Goliath. The loyal animal would not leave Chase’s body until he was “found by a Warden.”

The fact that the animal lived through the dangerous storm has also increased hope that Strickland himself survived and is alive but awaiting a much-needed rescue.

On Monday evening, the official Facebook page of the band Backroad Anthem asked fans to pray for Craig Strickland and his family. Helen Strickland, Craig’s wife, has already thanked the many fans who’ve reached out to her and his family with their love and support.

“We are overwhelmed with the love and prayers we have received. Thank you all.”

Helen also shared a Bible verse (Psalm 56:8).

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”

The band Backroad Anthem formed in Arkansas back in 2012. Aside from Craig Strickland, the band’s members include Toby Freeman, Eric Dysart, Josh Bryant, Brandon Robold and Isaac Senty. The group has focused much of its attention at present on the hope that Craig will soon be found alive.

This sentiment has echoed through much of country music and even among those not familiar with the band. Unfortunately, not everyone has been supportive. The fact that the two men knowingly left home during such dangerous weather and that they did so to go hunting has caused ugly criticism to surface on the band’s official Facebook page.

That behavior aside, the majority of fans and non-fans alike have united in hoping that Craig Strickland will be found safe and brought home to those who miss him.

[Image via Craig Strickland/Facebook]

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