[1]Daniel Kuhn during his deployment in Iraq. / Courtesy photo
Updated at 9:37 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A deputy surveying an area for Sunday’s dive team search for the missing rafter found a body this evening in the Chehalis River in between Doty and Dryad.
“It matches the description, we believe it’s him,” Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Cmdr. Steve Aust said.
Twenty-four-year-old Daniel Kuhn took part in Saturday’s Pe Ell River Run and hasn’t been heard from since.
The coroner’s office and Aust were just departing the area off the 200 block of Doty-Dryad Road just before 8 p.m.
The body was found submerged in about five feet of water, Aust said.
Kuhn, who lives in Olympia, is from Michigan, according to one of his friends Tony Abbot.
He was rafting with several others on Saturday, but got separated from his group and indicated he would meet them down river. When he didn’t show up by about 8 p.m. that night, they departed thinking he must have left with other friends, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
He wasn’t reported missing until Monday afternoon, according to the sheriff’s office.
He never retrieved his truck from where he had left it parked. The sheriff’s office yesterday said they learned a raft like his had been found on a gravel bar on Sunday.
Kuhn is a member of the National Guard, with the group based at the Centralia Armory, according to Abbott. Kuhn served in Iraq in 2008 and 2009, Abbott said.
The sheriff’s office was planning a search on Sunday by the dive team.
Aust said when the deputy went out there to scope out the area this evening, he decided to get in the water and look some more. It was about 6 p.m.
The spot is near the rails to trails trail, about 450 yards upstream from the trestle, according to Aust.
Aust met with Kuhn’s mother this evening, who flew in from Michigan last night.
Kuhn’s mother – after Aust visited – said she wanted to express her gratitude to the community, especially the soldiers.
“The military was Danny’s second life,” Deborah Rudisel said. “And he really did love Washington. I tried to get him to come home a couple of times.”
Abbott said he’s trying to “put something together” for his friend on Saturday.
“Danny was a great man,” he said. “He’ll never be replaced.”