For Brian Fair, it was the worst possible outcome.
He said his family is “devastated” after Toronto police recovered the body of 19-year-old Shane from Lake Ontario near Ontario Place Saturday.
The teen was last seen early May 16 after the formal for his York University residence. He had left the Atlantis Pavilion and wandered away alone.
In the two weeks that followed, police scoured the lakefront and a search by family and friends turned up nothing. Then Saturday, marine unit officers pulled a body from near the water’s edge and it was identified as Shane.
“We were hoping it wasn’t going to play out like this at all,” Fair said yesterday. “I want to thank everyone who cared enough to come down for the search, to put up posters, taking time out of their days and lives,” he said. “We thank everyone for all of their efforts.”
During one search, Fair’s mother, Lisa Malo, admitted, “You always hate to imagine the worst. But here we are, with the worst in front of me.”
There were fears Shane ended up in the lake, which is about three metres deep near the pavilion and seasonally cold, between 10 C and 15 C.
Fair was a member of the Canadian Forces reserves and had planned to join the military full-time this month.
Det. Scott Purches said police were awaiting autopsy results before releasing a cause of death.
