Community rallies behind mom in ongoing search for missing son, Jesse Galganov
A Côte Saint-Luc family's search for their son who went missing in rural Peru is a costly endeavour that continues to drain the fund of more than $1 million raised for the cause since October 2017.
Jesse Galganov's mother, Alisa Clamen, now believes her son, who was 22 when he disappeared in September 2017, succumbed to altitude sickness and died while hiking. However, she's not giving up on finding his body.
Over the weekend, Clamen hosted a bazaar in Montreal's west end, selling donated items and holding a raffle, which raised about $12,000.
A range of items were available at the bazaar, including homemade baked goods, toys, jewelry, clothing and sports equipment.
Many of the items sold at the Bazaar for Jesse came from corporate donors, both local businesses and large companies. Friends, family members and community residents also donated items to the cause.
"Everybody loved Jesse," said Clamen.
"Jesse was that curious, amazing kid. The lion who protected his friends."
Clamen says she wants to know what happened to her son and to help other families.
"I'm going to do this until we find find Jesse, and then I'm going to keep going," she said.
"This is just the beginning."
Clamen plans to work with a company that makes tracking devices that could be used to locate missing children, "so parents don't have to go through this, and kids can be safe."
Galgonov disappeared shortly after leaving Montreal for what was to be an eight-month backpacking adventure in South America, sparking an exhaustive and expensive search effort.
His father, Todd Galganov, returned to Montreal last fall after spending more than nine months in Peru looking for his son.
The family hired a private firm, based in Israel, that is still on the case and is being paid with the funds raised.
Those searchers tracked down two French tourists who had last camped with Galganov in the mountains on Oct. 1. They said he had been feeling ill and suspected Galganov was suffering from altitude sickness, but they hadn't seen him since.
Clamen said she plans to sue Huascarán National Park, where her son was last seen, for negligence.
"It's not a place where travellers should go until it's made safe," she said.
Missing Children's Network involved
Pina Arcamone, the executive director of the Missing Children's Network, said her organization manages the finances for the search effort, and this weekend's push will help replenish funds.
The organization can offer charity receipts when applicable, she said, and paying off the bills for the family helps take a bit of the stress of managing the fund off their shoulders.
"It's one less thing they have to worry about," she said.
The community surrounding Galgonov's family has been rallying behind the search efforts "since day one" by offering donations ranging from $10 to $100,000, said Arcamone.
She described the outpouring of love and support for the family as "amazing."
