Grandfather who went missing during Kentucky flooding found dead in submerged car

A 74-year Kentucky man who went missing while on his way to work last week was found dead submerged in a vehicle, according to his family and media reports.

Ronnie Bryant was declared missing by Kentucky State Police early Friday morning as areas of Eastern Kentucky were caught in flooding that led to a state of emergency. Bryant, of Woodbine, was driving to his job as a night security guard at a mining site in Whitley County, but he never made it for his 10 p.m. shift Thursday, state police said.

Rescue teams were initially unable to locate Bryant due to the high waters in the Whitley County area, according to state police.

Floodwaters dropped Monday, allowing search teams to resume their hunt for the grandfather, according to The Times Tribune. His vehicle was found around 6:15 p.m. Monday on Ky. 779 near Ky. 11 and his body was recovered at about 10:35 p.m., the Times Tribune reported.

The news was confirmed on Facebook by daughters Christina Bryant and Sheila Kaye Rizzo, along with granddaughter Ashley Petredis.

“The wondering is over now but the heartache is still here,” Petredis wrote on Facebook. “Papaw, I love you, I’ll forever remember you and know we all did everything in us to find you.”

Ronnie Bryant’s wife, Vicky Rogers-Bryant, also reacted to the news of her husband’s death on Facebook.

“I just wanted to let everyone know that Ron was found in his car in the water,” she said. “Asking for continuing prayers for myself and my family and also for all of his family. I thank everyone that was involved in finding him and all their hard work they put forth.”

Christina Bryant described her father as a man “who never met a stranger.”

“He liked to stop and talk to people,” she told The Times Tribune. “He liked to try new foods and get food for work.”

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency last week due to the catastrophic flooding. In some areas, the flooding was the highest it’s been since a historic 1977 flood.

Multiple roads around Williamsburg flooded last week, Whitley County emergency manager Danny Moses said. Another vehicle was also found submerged in the flood waters, but the car was empty, Moses said. The car’s owner parked it there the previous night when it was dry, the emergency director said.

Friends, family and coworkers helped search for Bryant after he went missing, WYMT reported. Woodbine and Laurel County Rescue squads assisted in the recovery assists, along with Kentucky State Police, the Whitley County Sheriff’s Office, Kentucky Emergency Management and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, according to The Times Tribune.

“We care about our employees more than anything. Ronnie, being the great guy that he is, I feel he deserves that from us,” friend and co-worker Shane Young told WYMT before Bryant was found.