Hundreds search for missing teacher

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This article was published 26/11/2016 (2952 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

More than 200 people gathered on Sunday morning to search for Kevin Dilk, the Collège Béliveau teacher who has been missing since Wednesday. 

Family members and volunteers met at St. Boniface Street Links at 311 Provencher Blvd. Ginger Dilk, Kevin’s niece, said she was amazed by how many people came out to look for her uncle and support his family. 

“It’s just been amazing how everyone’s come together to support and just see the love for my uncle,” she said. “It’s moving. In a way, it’s surprising, and in a way, it’s not. I know what a great person he is. It feels right that everyone’s here for him. It feels like this is what he deserves.”

Dilk, 50, was last seen in St. Boniface early on Wednesday morning. He’s described as Caucasian, 5’9″ tall, 160 pounds with short, greying brown hair, brown eyes and glasses. He may be wearing a black leather jacket, a button-up shirt, blue jeans, a black hat and black boots. 

Chris Black, a volunteer with a search and rescue background, helped organized the teams. He asked searchers to look for items that could be discarded, including clothes that may fit a man with Dilk’s build. Teams of about 10 people set out to look near Whittier Park and along the Seine and Red Rivers. 

While Dilk’s family has little information about what happened, Ginger said she’s staying positive.

“It’s been difficult,” she said, choking up. “He’s so loved. He’s so loved by us, he’s so loved by the community, his students, everyone who has come out to show that to us. We’re just hoping for the best outcome right now.

“He’s an amazing person. He’s always been full of love, full of caring, compassion. He’s so dedicated to his students, to his family.”

The family has reached out for help on social media. The Finding Kevin Dilk Facebook group has more than 600 members and asks people to spread the word about his disappearance. 

“This is a nightmare. We just want him home,” Ginger said. “I hope we can have Christmas with him. I really do. I just want to give him a hug.”

Marion Willis, the founder of St. Boniface Street Links and one of the search’s organizers, doesn’t know Dilk personally but stressed St. Boniface is a tight community of people who take care of each other and want to help. 

“We seem to have an awful lot of these types of tragedies in this city,” she said. “There are a lot of missing people. I guess it gives me hope to see and to know that there are so many other people who share my concern about that.”

Willis said organizers will document anything that comes out of Sunday’s search and will use that information to help shape future searches. 

The Bear Clan Patrol also organized a search beginning at 1 p.m. at the Norwood Hotel. 

Winnipeg police encourage anyone with information about Dilk’s whereabouts to call the missing persons unit at 204-986-6250. 

danielle.doiron@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @dmdoiron