Tuesday afternoon, the Hawkins family thanked the more than 4,000 searchers who helped look for Brennan over the weekend. They thanked volunteers who donated food and water, they thanked the news media for getting searchers to volunteer their time and they thanked the family of 12-year-old Garrett Bardsley, who went missing in the Uintas in August 2004 and is presumed dead.

Jody Hawkins thanked those involved in the search, saying "the miracle that has taken place" was because of their efforts.

The family posted a thank-you note Tuesday on their Web site, www.findbrennan.org:

"Thank you so very much for your concern. We deeply appreciate all your thoughts of love. He was worth everyone's efforts and everyone's prayers — you will always be in our prayers.

"Words cannot express the appreciation that we feel for all that have done so much. Thank you. Again, thank you."

Steve Mordue and Mike Henderson were some of the first people called to the search Friday night. They got the phone call at 8:30 p.m. and began searching at 1 a.m. Saturday.

When asked how they thought Brennan survived in the wilderness, Henderson said, "He's so stubborn that he just didn't give up."

Pam Warner and Jill Oliver joined the search Sunday. They came from Evanston, Wyo.

The two women planned to spend Tuesday night in the mountains before returning home. Oliver said they had had trouble sleeping knowing Brennan was missing. But not last night.

"My heart feels lighter," Warner said. "There is a God."

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Contributing: Pat Reavy, Leigh Dethman

E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com; afalk@desnews.com; wleonard@desnews.com