Craig Strickland’s Wife Posts Thanks to Search Team, Friends and Fans Fundraise for Missing Backroad Anthem Singer’s Family

The search for Backroad Anthem singer Craig Strickland has been underway for almost a week, since his disappearance on Dec. 27, with numerous search and rescue team members having spent hours upon hours looking for the missing country artist. While friends and fans continue to find ways to support Strickland's loved ones, his wife is saluting those working to find her husband.

On Saturday (Jan. 2), Helen Strickland shared on Instagram a note thanking 4 State Search and Rescue, the Oklahoma State Police and Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the McLean (Ill.) County EMA and the Cottleville (Mo.) Fire Department, all of whom are "working as one combined effort" in the search for her husband.

"They have all brought with them so much hope for myself and the rest of our family," Strickland writes. The Instagram photo itself includes pictures of two of the search teams, as well as the names of others who are involved. "We want to ask everyone to pray specifically for these wonderful individuals and their amazing canine helpers. We could not have asked for better equipped experts to help us find Craig."

In a separate Instagram post, Strickland also thanks four of her husband's friends "who have not stopped trying to do everything possible to find Craig."

For friends and fans looking for a way to help out, a GoFundMe account has been set up to help cover expenses associated with the search efforts. As of publishing time, more than $6,000 has been raised.

According to tweets from 40/29 News reporter Pedro Rivera, search and rescue teams -- including members in the air, on land and in sonar-equipped boats -- are searching a two-mile area of Kaw Lake in Kay County, Okla., where Craig Strickland, his now-deceased friend Chase Morland and Strickland's dog Sam went for a duck hunt early on Sunday morning, despite severe weather conditions. The search began after Strickland and Morland failed to make contact with their families for 24 hours.

A capsized boat was found just after midnight on Monday (Dec. 28), while Morland’s body was recovered that afternoon. Sam was discovered, alive, next to Morland’s body. On Thursday (Dec. 31), search crews discovered footprints, boat marks and dog prints that helped them narrow their search area.

Fayetteville, Ark.-based country/rock band Backroad Anthem have opened for country artists including Chris Young, Gary Allan and Tyler Farr. They had a New Year’s Eve show planned in Little Rock, Ark.

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