HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — TJ Braddy’s fiancé, Erin McCarty, is thousands of miles away in Oregon.
“It’s hard feeling like you are living every day in a nightmare and not knowing. It’s the not knowing,” she said.
McCarty says she feels helpless as the search continues to come empty.
Investigators in Hernando County told her they are following up on every lead.
“They have exhausted their search efforts. They used ATVs, helicopters, drones, horseback, dogs. They’ve done grid searches. And they are unable to find him in the woods,” said McCarty.
The Hernando County Sheriff’s office says they found Braddy’s truck parked near Weeki Wachee High School last week.
He had driven to Florida from Oregon for a drilling job in Tampa.
McCarty said she last heard from him on December 10th.
He told her then his truck had run out of gas.
She says he has so many people who are worried.
“He’s so loved. His family needs him. His sister. That’s her best friend. He’s got six kids plus my daughter that absolutely loves him over here in Oregon. It’s just really hard,” said McCarty.
Braddy’s parents live in the panhandle and say he stopped by their home earlier this month as he was heading south.
“He was really excited and I can’t guess at the things that happened, that took place. I don’t know. I think sleep deprivation was probably a big factor in what’s going on right now,” said his father Terry.
Braddy’s family says one recent tip had him spotted at Coney Island restaurant in Crystal River.
Anyone with information on where TJ Braddy is can call the Hernando Sheriff’s office at 352-442-4758.
