On Thursday, Kreyick’s family confirmed the sad news that it was the missing father of two, CBS SF reported.
The body of Philip Kreycik, the California ultra-marathon runner who went out for a morning run and vanished nearly one month ago, was discovered by a volunteer searcher on Tuesday in a remote area of the Pleasanton Regional Park, officials said.
Kreycik's remains were found under a tree in the northern portion of the park around 2:30 p.m. Not long after ASCO responded to the scene with the East Bay Regional Parks Police and the Pleasanton Police Department, they said the identification of the remains had not been formally completed, but said they strongly believed they were Kreycik’s, according to a news release by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO).
On Thursday, Kreycik’s family confirmed the sad news that it was the missing father of two, CBS SF reported.
Later in the day, the family held a press conference. An emotional Jen Yao, Kreycik's wife, spoke through tears and expressed gratitude to all the people who helped search for her husband.
"Those who knew Philip, and those who didn’t know Philip," who helped in the search, she said. She said she wanted to personally thank each and every person for all they have done.
“Take care of one another because life can be so fragile," she said. “Even when we think we have everything under control. Even when we think we are strong and capable, accidents can happen that can really derail us from the course we set ourselves on, from the life we so carefully planned."
She continued: “Life is truly fragile and delicate and the past three or four weeks showed me that, crystal clear. Treat it with joy and kindness and take all the hardships and heartaches with courage and bravery."
Kreycik had his running clothes and running shoes on, including his wedding band. A smartwatch was also recovered that investigators hope will provide additional information on Kreycik’s time of death and when his run started and when it ended, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Pleasanton Police Department Lt. Erik Silacci told The San Francisco Chronicle Kreycik’s body was found near a game trail commonly used by wildlife, including deer.
On July 10, Kreycik left his Berkeley home and drove to the park for an 8-mile run. When he did not arrive at the scheduled time he was supposed to meet his family, his wife reported him missing. He had left his wallet and phone in his car, officials said. The day he went for the run, temperatures soared to 106 degrees, Inside Edition Digital previously reported.
More than 13 local agencies and hundreds of volunteers conducted an exhaustive days-long search along the steep and rugged terrain using high-tech sonar equipment, K-9’s, fixed-wing aircraft, and drones. When the formal search ended for Kreycik, hundreds of volunteers continued to search for him.
Kreycik was described by friends and family as a “brilliant guy, who went to Harvard and MIT."
“All of us who took part in this search for Philip are heartbroken,” according to a statement by the ASCO. “We send our love and support to the Kreycik family. We would like to recognize our Search and Rescue professionals from around the state who assisted. We are also thankful to the community search team for their dedication and support. They are outstanding people.”
The East Bay Regional Parks Police will continue the investigation and a medical exam will be completed by the ACSO Coroner’s Bureau, the ASCO said.
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