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Body Of Missing Long Island Man Found In Fahnestock
by Claudia Gibson
The body of Bruce A. Torgersen, 46 year-old North Massapequa, Long Island man who had been missing since a camping trip on August 1, was found over the Labor Day weekend in Fahnestock State Park.
According to New York State Park Police, two hikers discovered Mr. Torgersen’s body on September 2, at the entrance to an abandoned flooded mine shaft located near Canopus Lake in Fahnestock Park.
The Park Police responded to the discovery, and were assisted by the New York State Police and the Kent Fire Department. Mr. Torgersen’s body was then transported to the Putnam County Hospital. The preliminary finding of the Medical Examiner is that Mr. Torgersen’s death was accidental.
Mr. Torgersen was last seen in the early hours of August 1, by Sheriff’s deputies who had responded to complaints of his making a disturbance at the Fahnestock State Park campsite. The responding deputies found Mr. Torgersen "compliant," but with his truck stuck on a rock. Mr. Torgersen subsequently called the New York State Park Police for a tow truck, which was sent later that morning. The tow truck operator found no sign of Mr. Torgersen, and Park Police instituted a full-scale search the following day.
Search dogs traced Mr. Torgersen’s scent to Pelton Pond, where his jacket was found nearby. New York State divers spent two days searching Pelton Pond, a 90-foot deep former iron mine, but did not locate Mr. Torgersen’s body. After the Park Police’s search was scaled back, Mr. Torgersen’s family hired a private investigator to help turn up any new information regarding his disappearance.
Mr. Torgersen is survived by his mother, Edith Torgersen of North Massapequa, and two sons, Ian Torgersen and Jesse Torgersen, both of California. Mr. Torgersen’s father passed away earlier this year. Funeral plans are incomplete at this time.
Mr. Torgersen’s longtime friend, Ken Waldron, who had blanketed the area with "missing" posters, expressed appreciation on behalf of the family for all those who took part in searching for Bruce.
"We appreciate all the efforts, everyone did what they could," said Mr. Waldron, who had the difficult task of identifying his friend’s remains. "We certainly are grateful – we just wish we could have found him sooner."
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