Apparently one thing mentioned briefly in other articles indicate that no one in the family even knew he was gone until some time had passed.

It sounds like he overlooked that primary rule about LETTING SEVERAL PEOPLE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND WHEN YOU ARE EXPECTED BACK.

We have seen deaths under these situations all too often. With today's mobility people think nothing of hopping in the car with a cell phone and taking off for presumably a day. The problem arises when they decide to head off the regular roads and end up somewhere nowhere near where they even were.