Mathew McGrath had been missing since January

LAURIE WEIR

A fundraising campaign has reached nearly $8,000 (surpassing its $7,500 goal) to help the grieving family of Mathew (Matt) McGrath lay him to rest. 

Missing since mid-January this year, McGrath’s body was pulled from the Mississippi River on Sunday, May 12. 

The Carleton Place man was 52 years old, and had been in the water since his disappearance, said the OPP in a media release on Wednesday, May 15. No foul play was suspected, and no further information will be released by the police. 

Family of McGrath had been on a mission to find their missing loved one since he was last seen on Jan. 18. They started a Facebook page, “Bring Mathew Home.”

McGrath’s sister Melissa Rainville stated that they had posted daily on social media, including TikTok where videos had more than one million views. They handed out flyers and did several media interviews and even followed up with information from psychic mediums. 

“It is with extremely heavy hearts that our search for my brother Mathew has come to an end,” a post read on May 15 confirming the identity of the person found deceased in the water by OPP. 

“We are all shocked and devastated and have been trying to process all the information. We will be taking a pause from social media to give our families time to grieve and organize his affairs. We will share celebration of life service, information once we have put it together. I personally want to thank everyone for all the support and compassion you have shown us and Matty.”

McGrath “has no estate so we continue to welcome donations to help lay him to rest in the way that he deserves.” 

Rainville thanked OPP Const. Beth Hollihan, “for her continued dedication to Matt’s case and for being a sounding board for myself and Mathew’s closest friends. A big thank you goes out to Beth’s Ontario Provincial Police colleagues who also worked tirelessly hard on helping Bring Mathew Home.”

Rainville stated on the fundraising page that her brother was a free spirit and a well-loved gentle soul. “He lived day to day the best he possibly could. He is at peace now and deserves to be laid to rest respectfully.”

McGrath was on leave since November last year from his job at the Waterfront Gastropub in Carleton Place due to a back injury.