The remains of 23-year-old musician Michael Curnow have been discovered more than a year after he disappeared in bushland in South Australia. His body was located in the Mount Crawford Forest, northeast of Adelaide, on Tuesday after a member of the public alerted police upon finding a mountain bike and helmet in the area.
Disappearance and Search
Curnow went missing on April 24 last year. He told his parents he was "going to do some contemplating" in the hills before loading his mountain bike into his car and driving away, according to The Advertiser. A widespread search was launched when he failed to return home, and his black Hyundai station wagon was discovered on April 25, close to the area where he was last seen. Detectives from the Missing Person Investigation Section and Major Crime conducted searches of the Mount Crawford Forest near Chain of Ponds.
Dashcam Sightings and No Suspicious Circumstances
Dashcam footage captured a man bearing a strong resemblance to Curnow walking along a road near Kersbrook, approximately 15 minutes from the forest, on the morning after his disappearance. No further sightings were reported. Police have confirmed there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, and a report is to be prepared for the coroner.
Musical Journey and Life in Adelaide
Curnow spent his final years teaching and performing music in Bundaberg before relocating to Adelaide in November to live with his grandparents in Hillcrest, with ambitions of advancing his musical career. His journey in music began at just five years old as a self-taught drummer, who went on to master the piano and ukulele, and was also a vocalist blessed with a rich, deep voice.
Parents' Hope and Grief
His parents, Greg and Renee Curnow, prayed each day that Michael would be discovered alive and well, yet there had been no activity on either his phone or bank accounts for months prior to the discovery of his remains. Before his death was confirmed, his mother said: "You kind of have to numb it out. I just block it out because as soon as you start thinking about anything, it's too hard. You can't go there because it's traumatising and the pain... you can't deal with the pain. He comes up in our dreams and we call the moments we have M and Ms – Michael moments. We pray that one day we'll see him again. We're just not sure whether that's going to be on Earth – hopefully it is, but (otherwise) we'll see him in Heaven."
