7-Year-Old Boy Missing After Boat Disappears, Dad and Uncle Found Dead in Tragic Twist
(Photo: Meg Slezak/Facebook/GoFundMe)
The fourth day of searching for 7-year-old Hunter Slezak has ended without success, leaving his family and the community still hoping for answers. Hunter, along with his father, Michael Slezak, and family friend Sam Wooley, vanished after a shrimping trip near Pelican Bay on Friday.
Efforts to locate the boy and the boat they were on, a 22-foot vessel named Marty Ann, have involved multiple agencies and community volunteers. Search teams have scoured the area using boats, ATVs, horses, and even aerial support, but Hunter remains missing.
“The mom wants her son recovered so she can say a proper goodbye,” said Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch, emphasizing the family’s desperate need for closure. Volunteers have also stepped in to help. One volunteer from Semmes explained, “It’s just something that touched home and I decided to do it.
I have a boat, I have the capabilities, and we’re going to attempt and hope to bring some closure to his mother.” The tragedy unfolded on Friday when Hunter, Michael Slezak, and Sam Wooley went shrimping. By that evening, the three were reported missing, prompting an immediate search by law enforcement, rescue teams, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Over the weekend, the bodies of Slezak, a beloved baseball coach at Semmes Middle School, and Wooley, a Vietnam veteran and grandfather, were found south of Dauphin Island. However, Hunter and the boat remain unaccounted for. Family and friends are clinging to memories of the victims.
Kennedie Olson, a family friend, described Hunter as “the sweetest little boy.” She shared fond recollections of Hunter’s interactions with her younger siblings and his admiration for her father and brother. Reflecting on Michael Slezak, Olson said, “He was like a second dad to me. He and my dad were really close.
He was a baseball coach and was always willing to help somebody, no matter what it consisted of.” Amid their grief, the family takes solace in faith. Olson said, “Well, I just know they’re in heaven. One day we will all be able to be reunited and be able to see them again. That’s what’s getting me through it.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the Slezak family to raise money for funeral costs. The page so far has received over $50,700 in donations. The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office will resume the search tomorrow at 6 a.m. Volunteers are encouraged to participate and can contact (251) 574-2423 for details. The community continues to pray for Hunter’s recovery and peace for the grieving families.
