BOISE, Idaho — Jackie Kelsay is the wife of Curtis "Greg" Kelsay, who has been missing for nearly two weeks and said she believes the coronavirus pandemic and the uncertainty that it has created drove him to disappear on one April evening.
Both Jackie and Greg's brother-in-law Allan Fidler describe Greg as a loving and caring man.
"Family was a big priority in his life," Fidler said. "This was not a normal thing for Greg to have done."
However, something changed in this Boise family man. Jackie said the night of April 15 or early the next morning, Greg slipped quietly out of their Boise home.
"He left his wallet with his driver's license, cards, money, he left his phone," she said. "I believe he took a headlamp so that tells me he left when it was dark and I believe he may have had poles, walking poles. One would be red, and one would be blue."
Greg's car was found the next at the Dry Creek trailhead on Bogus Basin Road. That afternoon there was a search party looking for him made up of police, family, friends, dogs, and a drone. That was more than ten days ago and still no sign of Greg has been found.
"I think he knew what he was doing, I think he planned it, I think it was purposeful, I think he felt he had no other choices," Kelsay said. "He left a note."
For a man that loved his family so much, KTVB asked Jackie why she thinks her husband would not want to be found.
"He was not in his right mind, he had not been sleeping, and that was causing some stress and anxiety and probably depression," she said.
Jackie said Greg had been feeling that way since mid-March.
"The pandemic, the stock market crashing, we have rentals, people might lose their job and wouldn't be able to pay their rent," she said.
"Distancing does not really mean isolation in the form you are not connected to family and loved ones," Fidler added.
As the days pass, Jackie's faith in her husband being found dwindles.
"As more time goes by, I'm losing hope," Kelsay said.
Jackie and Fidler are urging people to keep an eye out for Greg and to also check in on the people you love who might feel isolated and anxious during this uncertain time we are all going through.
"Just reach out to people that you know that aren't doing so well right now," Fidler said. "People that have mental problems and people that are not being in contact with other people, whether it’s the phone or text or any way shape or form to have a connection with other people."
Gretchen Parsons is an anchor, reporter and producer at KTVB since 2016. You can follow her on Instagram @gretchenparsonsKTVB or @gretchenKTVB on Twitter.
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