Help Us Bring Charles Hosch Home

On December 13-14, we are making one last major push to find our beloved Charles Hosch before the holidays. Multiple multistate search-and-rescue nonprofits and volunteers are joining our efforts to search Blood Mountain for Charles, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, Dallas attorney, SMU law professor, and friend to so many.

Charles has been missing since November 11 after what should have been a short hike on a trail he’s known since childhood. We—his wife Beth, daughters Julia and Cat, son-in-law Adi, brother Heyward, law partner Kate Morris, and his infant granddaughter—are desperately hoping to bring him home for the holidays.

To do this, we will first need many volunteers (hiking not necessarily required!) here in Georgia. If you are local, please consider signing upon our SignUpGenius page. Volunteer positions include hikers, runners, medical support, lunch/dinner chefs/pickup, drivers, phone support from trailhead, etc.

And second, we need your monetary support. To thank these rescue heroes and support their efforts, we are raising funds for meals, lodging, and necessary equipment during their stay.

Time is critical.

We will support the following groups with your gifts this weekend:*

- Backcountry Unit Search and Rescue (BUSAR)

- Knox County Search and Rescue

- Christian Aid Ministry

- K9 handler Tracy Sargeant

*List will be updated as groups are added. We are still inviting more folks -- if you are connected to a 501c3 SAR organization in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, or South Carolina, please contact us! Email Julia with ideas.

Supporting the Heroes Who’ve Helped Us: Should we raise more money than is needed for this weekend's search, we will also send donations to the many incredible nonprofits who have assisted in the search so far. All of these services have been provided at no cost to our family, but at great expense to the organizations. We want to thank them for their time, their effort, and their bravery, and help them continue to save lives and assist other families in the future.

These remarkable organizations include:

• Union County Fire Department/EMA, E911, and Sheriff’s Office

• GSP Aviation in Kennesaw, GA and Athens, GA

• Fire, EMA, and SAR Departments in Fannin County, White County, Towns County, Hall County, Hiawassee Dam, Wolf Creek, Lumpkin County, and Rabun County, GA

• Cherokee, NC Search and Rescue

• Georgia K9 Search and Recovery

• Georgia State Defense Force

• Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

• Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA)

• US Forestry Service

• GSAR Task Force 1

• Sherry Scruggs K9 Team

• Spartanburg, SC SAR

Should we raise even more, we will save the proceeds for other causes close to Charles' heart, such as a law school scholarship, Boy Scout/Girl Scout support, or even re-marking parts of the Appalachian Trail. We are working to find him first, and then we will plan (and let you know) how we will celebrate his legacy.

We are on a short timeline before the weather will stop us from being able to support daily searches safely. This weekend is potentially our last and best hope at finding Charles, at least in this phase of our search. However, we are not giving up, and neither should you. Together, we can bring Charles home. And, your donations will allow these heroes to bring others' lost family members home, too. Charles (Dad) would love that.

We are so grateful for the overwhelming support of Charles' community in Dallas, in North Georgia (Blairsville, Gainesville, Union County), and across the country who are supporting us through your prayers, your presence, your service, and now your gifts. Thank you for everything. And as Charles (Dad) says -- we press on!

For more information about Charles—a teacher, a father, and an extraordinary man—and for updates on our search efforts, please visit: www.bringcharleshome.com

Please help us bring Charles home for the holidays.

Thank you so much for your support.

With gratitude,

The Hosch Family