Missing Lenexa man found, reunited with family

Larry Schnackenberg’s family is very grateful he is back home.

Schnackenberg, who had been missing since July 8, was found walking along a trail at about 2:20 p.m. Wednesday by a Johnson County park patrol officer.

Schnackenberg, 58, Lenexa, was taken to Shawnee Mission Regional Medical Center. He is being treated for dehydration, bug bites and poison ivy, but hospital officials said he is in good condition.

His sons David and Michael Schnackenberg spoke at press conference Thursday at the hospital.

“We’re completely grateful for the entire Kansas City community who came out in the search for my dad,” David said. “Although many questions remain as to the circumstances of the past three weeks, right now we’re just simply enjoying the fact that he’s back in our lives.

“I’d like to personally acknowledge our lifetime family friend Rick Reynolds, who was the volunteer deputy in the park who found my dad. Again, we’re forever grateful for the prayers and thoughtfulness we’ve been blessed with during the last three weeks. At this time, I’d still like to ask for a little bit of privacy for my family as we’re able to get reacquainted with my dad and move forward.”

While many details of Schnackenberg’s disappearance are unknown, the family has decided to give him time to talk when he’s ready.

“It’s really pained him to talk about it, so we’re focusing on just being happy about having him back in our lives,” David said. “He breaks down every time he starts trying to talk about it, so I immediately change the subject and turn on ESPN or something like that for him. We’re doing what we feel like is best for him and the professionals working with him right now. He said for the three-week period he had no idea (people were looking for him). It’s been really hard for him to see the footage and hearing about all that we’ve gone through.”

After hearing his father had been found, Michael said he was in shock.

“It’s surreal. For three weeks, you don’t know if you’re going to have a dad again. To just all of a sudden have your dad back in your life – it’s amazing,” Michael said. “I was at work when my mom called me. She’s an amazing lady. All of us kids couldn’t be more proud of her.”

David said when he first saw his dad he “cried a little” and now has “a stupid grin on my face, ear to ear, nonstop.”

“He was still severely dehydrated and he seemed a little out of it, but about a half a bag of saline later he was the same old guy, except with a beard,” David said. “He’s been joking around a lot. He’s talked to us about what we’ve been up to, what’s been happening, who’s stopped by. He’s eternally grateful, just as we are. He’s just so excited to see all of our family. He’s himself again, the same guy he was before this ordeal.”

While Schnackenberg still is speaking with police and hospital officials about the situation, Lenexa Master Police Officer Dan Friesen said the investigation is closed.

“There’s been no evidence of any crime having been committed,” Friesen said. “Since he’s been found and returned to his family, we have no plans at this point to continue.”

Schnackenberg’s SUV was found abandoned by Shelter 8 in Shawnee Mission Park. The trail on which he was found, near Johnson Drive and Barker Street in Shawnee, is about four to five miles north of where his car was left, Friesen said.

“To my knowledge, nobody searched that far north of the main park,” he said.

Police searched the park grounds, including the use of police canines, and dredged Shawnee Mission Park Lake looking for Schnackenberg. They believe he was living underneath a bridge and in a shack at the park. According to reports, he told park officers he got water from drinking fountains and food out of trash cans.

Schnackenberg went missing nine days before his daughter’s wedding, which was later postponed.

David said his sister, Rebecca Schnackenberg, planned to come visit her father Thursday afternoon.

“She’s so excited to see him,” he said. “We haven’t discussed (a new date for the wedding) yet, but it’s going to be the biggest party this city’s ever seen.”

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