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Book Nook provides readers with insights into the world of books. Vick Mickunas takes you into the center of the publishing world with the latest book buzz, book reviews, and exclusive chats with authors..Home > Blogs > Book Nook > Archives > 2008 > February > 04 > Entry
former Antioch student vanishes in Hawaii
An article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer describes the mysterious disappearance of an Ohio man in Hawaii in November, 2005. He hasn’t been heard from since.
According to the article, the young man, Dan Marks, was “described by family and friends as bright, well-spoken and “different” at Girard High School, he found his way to the liberal callings of Antioch College in Yellow Springs in 1999 to study music.”
His family has pieced together how Dan Marks got to Hawaii and the last known sighting of the young man:
“Among the last e-mails he sent before heading to Hawaii was one to a friend ticking off a few recent getaways to “national parks and wilderness excursions with strangers I found on craigslist, a trip into Death Valley” and a “totally random and super cheap flight forwarded to me by a friend that has prompted me to fly to Kauai.”
The last people known to have seen Marks were tourists, a Colorado couple taking in the breathtaking views from the lookout high above Kauai’s Kalalau Valley. That was Nov. 10, 2005, at about 4:30 in the afternoon.
“It was just a quick ‘Hi, how are you, where are you from?’ kind of conversation,” said Robin Carter. “He was trying to get down the mountain before sunset. He looked like he knew what he was doing. My husband was taking pictures and when we got in the car to leave, we were like, ‘Holy crap, what’s he doing going down that mountain at this time of day, and alone?’ We just thought, ‘There goes one gutsy dude.’ “
Marks was hardly a weekend hill-hopper. He had hiked extensively in Australia, New Zealand, India, Central America and much of the Western United States, including Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon.
From the lookout, he surveyed steep 4,000-foot drops on both sides, the sharp-edged terrain framing a lush valley that leads northward to the sea. Locals call it true wilderness. Rainbows often sprout from the clash of rain, sun and mountain mist. It looks like God’s garden. Paradise. Carrying a couple of hiking sticks and a small backpack, he set out for the eastern ridge.
Then he vanished.”
The article compares this situation to the tragic story of the young man depicted in Jon Krakauer’s best selling book INTO THE WILD. That true story was adapted into the film by Sean Penn made last year.
I was working at WYSO Public Radio on the Antioch College campus when Dan Marks was in Yellow Springs attending Antioch. I remember seeing him around. He was quiet but he had a strong presence about him.
I wonder what became of Dan Marks? This mystery will hopefully inspire an author to write a book about it. Maybe then the puzzle of this young man’s existence can be solved.
Vick Mickunas
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: that's what they say
Comments
By Riverdale Ghost
February 4, 2008 10:07 PM | Link to this
Many people disappear. Even when people try they aren’t found. Look how long it took to find Maria Lauterbach and she and her family kept in touch with each other, we can presume she didn’t plan to disappear and they tried valiantly find her. You can assume there’s a sad story — a world that didn’t work right — somewhere in every disappearance. We all want at least happy endings to things; but, I would wager it doesn’t even happen 50% of the time.By Kate Hamilton
February 4, 2008 9:04 PM | Link to this
Write it.By Kate Hamilton
February 4, 2008 9:04 PM | Link to this
Write it.By Barbara Delaney
February 4, 2008 2:57 PM | Link to this
What a sad story. I think even if a journalist wrote a book about this young man it would probably be rejected by publishers as a clone of Into the Wild. I was sorry when I heard that marvelous book was being made into a movie because I didn’t think a movie could do it justice. I was wrong, Sean Penn made a fabulous movie with stunning performances.