Missing McConnellsburg Man Found Near Home

In one of the largest search and rescue efforts to take place in Fulton County, Pennsylvania in recent years, foot, horse and dog patrols swept Scrub Ridge Mountain for nearly 24 hours to ironically find the McConnellsburg man 150 yards from his home where he had been reported missing on Tuesday afternoon, March 31, 1998.

Pennsylvania State Police stated that Galen Hathan Hanks, 74, was discovered at 3:15pm on April 1, 1998, by search teams.

Hanks was found lying bent over a log in a brush covered hollow. Hanks, who is afflicted with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, had presumably tripped over a log as he was wandering around the wooded area.

A garage was utilized as a command station during the search and rescue mission and an auction barn as the staging area after Hank's wife reported him missing from their Licking Creek Township residence at 3:30pm on Tuesday.

In addition to local search and rescue teams, over 10 teams were called in, including Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue. GPSAR was called in on the second day of the search and arrived at 10:00am to serve in search management and with field teams. Shortly after they re-assessed the mission and re-deployed the search teams, Hank's was found in critical condition and transported to Fulton County Medical Center where he has since been upgraded to stable condition.