EAGAN, Minn. — "One year. Some days it feels like 10 years and other days it feels like 10 weeks."
The family of Bryce Borca is marking 365 days since the then-23-year-old disappeared following a night celebrating Halloween with friends, releasing a very personal statement reflecting their pain and sense of loss.
"We never thought we would be celebrating the life of a child before our own. Then the unimaginable happens and life changes forever," the statement from Bryce's parents Troy and Carina reads. "Losing a child is the hardest loss there is. The pain never retreats. At times it might dull for an hour or two, but the hole in our hearts will be there forever. It is our hope that someday that hole becomes less jagged."
"The last year has been the hardest year of our lives," the statement continues. "We are not the same people we were a year ago. So many things have changed. As people who are planful of our lives, this was not in the plan. But it’s clear the plan is not ours to execute on. It’s in God’s hands."
Eagan police say the Eagan man had spent the evening drinking with friends on a party bus and was dropped off by a Lyft ride near 3256 Hill Ridge Dr. in Eagan at about 2:08 a.m., along with two friends. The Lyft driver told authorities that Borca was extremely intoxicated and actually tried to get out of the vehicle while it was still moving.
Borca's friends told investigators he was walking home to his apartment at 3435 Promenade Ave., a trip that should have taken about 45 minutes. But an affidavit filed with a search warrant says at 2:34 a.m., Borca called friends over Facetime, told them he didn't know where he was and that his phone was at 2% charge.
That was the last time anyone heard from Bryce.
Cell phone records obtained by police show Borca traveled through a small industrial area near Highway 13 before heading into heavily wooded terrain with several marshes and ponds, according to a search warrant filed the week of his disappearance. Searches by air, land and water combed more than 1,000 acres of fields, woods, marshes and ponds nearby. Six months after his disappearance Borca's family offered a $30,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts. All came up empty.
While their son remains unaccounted for, Troy and Corina Borca are attempting to focus on the human light that has broken through the darkness of a sad and hopeless year.
"We have seen and been part of so many good things. We have reconnected with old best friends. We have become closer with Bryce’s friends," wrote the Borcas. "We have made new lifelong friends experiencing the same heartache of losing a child. We have met some of the amazing teachers Bryce worked with and heard stories and have letters from the children he spent his days with. These are priceless and bring us so much joy. We have seen thousands help us search for answers. Perfect strangers have reached out to share their thoughts and prayers. And finally, we have started a foundation in Bryce’s name to help other parents and families find peace and comfort through their darkest times. Some have called it “putting purpose into pain.” And that feels just as good as it sounds."
The Borcas ended their message by thanking Eagan police, county and state authorities and all of those who have taken part in the search to help them find answers.
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