Hard to stop a person determined to end their life. They are sure to find a way to get it done one way or another.

Not sure this qualifies for a Darwin award, as it appears the young man's intent was to end his life. It would seem reasonable to conclude that since the body was found only 1,000 feet or so from the vehicle, he probably died of self inflicted injury, and not exposure.

Other articles indicate this was a "lost love" motive. Apparently one likely influence was the story "Into the Wild" about another young man who died in the wilderness, though for completely different reasons.

One wonders, had the kid found a way to deal with the heartache, what might he have accomplished in his life? Now his poor parents will inherit his heartache.

Quite a difficult challenge to find a positive aspect to these situations.

But back to the point, is the money that was spent to search for and eventually find him a waste, or a social imperative? It is of some value to know if this community considers the use of funds in public trust to rescue folks from their recklessness a reasonable and fair imposition. Was that what the funds were collected for? Is that what the people that earned that money to pay those bills worked for?

Not I.