The news no wanted to hear however which is so very important for Patricia’s family and friends is summarized by her husband Kirk below.
Also included below are 3 links to blogposts detailing how my life intersected with Patricia’s on the 2022 Camino Primitivo and subsequently hours before her 2023 disappearance on the Kumano Kodo in Japan.
A brief summary
- Paulo and I (also Carmel & John, Pierre) met Patricia while walking our 2022 Camino Primitivo. As is common on Camino walks we walked together briefly initially…crossing paths later.
- Patricia mentioned she had been interviewed for a Japanese Documentary and the running joke from then on was “Guy had to be in the documentary”. Patricia even set up a sit down interview with the documentary team. In the end I had 12 seconds documentary exposure, Paulo 6, Carmel & John 2
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| L to R at table - me, Paulo, Patricia, documentary pilgrim walker |
- Patricia mentioned she was planning the Shinkoku 88 walk in spring 2023. I mentioned the Dual Pilgrim designation (Kumano Kodo and Camino Frances) which I received in 2015. Patricia was intrigued.
- April 8, 2023 Patricia sent me a text message at 20:21 Japanese time
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| Patricia at the start of the Kumano Kodo Kohechi route |
“Hello, I hope this message finds you well. I wanted let you know I am on the Kumano Kodo Kohechi today. Im going to be dual Pilgrim just like you. I also wanted to
let you know that you made it into the Japanese documentary on Camino Santiago.”
- I responded almost immediately
“Great to hear from you Patricia. Enjoy the Kumano Kodo an amazing Walk! I have seen the Japanese documentary and you had a major role...well done!
Patricia a small favour when you get to the centre where you get your dual pilgrim could you take a peak at the table display of the initial Dual Pilgrims. I was told my picture would be there as #5...if this is true I would appreciate a picture. Enjoy”
- April 9, 2023 Patricia responded at 5:51 Japanese time
“I will look and take picture at Hongu.”
- April 9, 2023 I responded at 7:01 Japanese time to which Patricia gave me a thumbs up sometime on April 9th
“I am very curious to see if my picture is actually there or not? Have a wonderful beautiful walk!”
- April 10, 2023 likely around 7:30 Patricia left her accommodation and was never heard from again or ~ 35 hours after her first upbeat text message to me 😢
Such an adventurous person…hit me hard that I was one of the last few people Patricia interacted with.
Also buried deep was the initial thought that perhaps I planted the Dual Pilgrim idea in Patricia’s thinking…I have no idea whether I did or not…over time I accepted that isn’t something to dwell on. Patricia wasn’t a follower…she was an independent adventurous person making countless decisions following her passion for walking.
I do though remain thoughtful about the randomness of life.
Husband Kirk’s announcement
“On Friday, May 9, 2025, our family received confirmation that our beloved wife, mother, sister, daughter, Aunt, and friend, Pattie Wu-Murad, is deceased.
This confirmation came more than two years after she went missing while hiking in Japan on April 10, 2023.
Despite an extensive international search effort that involved 24 American search and rescue (SAR) professionals, local Japanese SAR experts, law enforcement, U.S. Embassy officials in both Japan and Washington, D.C., the FBI, and Senator Richard Blumenthal, no trace of Pattie was found in the months following her disappearance.
In September 2024, after almost a year and a half of no news and no clues, a fisherman discovered Pattie's backpack and one hiking shoe near a stream closer to a different trail from where we originally believed she was hiking. Upon this discovery, Japanese police conducted a search of that region for several days, but again, no further evidence was found.
Then, on April 27, 2025, a member of our original U.S. search team who was in Japan retraced the area near where the backpack had been found. During his hike, he discovered several of Pattie's personal items and what appeared to be a femur. He delivered the remains to the local Japanese police, who confirmed they were human. DNA testing was performed, and on May 9, we were notified that the remains were a match to Pattie, through comparison with our daughter's DNA.
Although we had tried to prepare ourselves for this outcome, the finality of this news is heartbreaking. It offers a measure of closure, but many questions remain unanswered, including the exact circumstances and cause of Pattie's death. We now begin the process of working through international protocols to bring her remains home.
We would like to express our profound gratitude to all those who supported us during this long and painful journey.
To the professional U.S. search teams - thank you for volunteering your time, skill, and compassion, risking your own safety and asking only for expense coverage in return.
To the Japanese SAR experts and volunteers - we are deeply grateful for your local knowledge, commitment, and kindness. You offered not only your expertise but also your humanity: providing meals, transportation, snacks, drones, and heartfelt companionship when we needed it most.
To our families who stood with us - thank you for your constant support, communication, and advocacy. Whether you helped spread the word on social media, reached out to search and rescue teams, or contacted news outlets, your dedication to helping us find Pattie went far beyond anything we could have hoped for. We are deeply grateful.
To the countless friends, colleagues, and strangers who reached out via social media, text messages, phone calls, and prayers - your encouragement and hope sustained us more than you can possibly know.
Pattie was an incredible woman whose light touched many lives. While we are devastated, we are also humbled by the global community that rallied to help find her. We will continue to honor her memory with love and gratitude in our hearts.
With love and thanks,
Kirk, Rachel, Murphy, and Bryce”
My previous blogposts
Shocked and Very Saddened - April 19, 2023
Final Patricia Search Update - May 22, 2023
Not the news anyone wanted to hear. There was always a smidgen of hope. Now the hope is that the story can be uncovered. Thanks for sharing.
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