DENVER — Efforts have grown to the national stage as family, friends and more push to find a Colorado police officer and National Guardsman who is missing in Russia.
Representative Mike Coffman joined the push Wednesday to help find Steven Beare, a Littleton Police Department officer and National Guardsman who went missing while climbing Mount Elbrus in Russia.
A day after Beare's wife, Olivia Beare, spoke to Denver7 describing her family's push to find her husband and father, Coffman penned a letter to a Russian ambassador.
In a letter to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Coffman pleaded for Russia to offer aid in finding the missing U.S. citizen.
"Mr. Ambassador, I respectfully ask that your country lend any and all aid available to efforts underway to locate Mr. Beare and bring him back to his family safely," Coffman wrote in a letter that also was sent to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. "I would be extremely grateful for any assistance your government can provide."
Coffman's letter explained Beare's family hasn't heard from the experienced mountain climber in some time, leading loved ones to believe something went wrong during Beare's assent.
"We know that there was a really bad storm that came in really quick out of nowhere," Mrs. Beare said. "We're thinking that's when he got lost."
Beare's family said they don't believe the Russian government is helping enough to locate their loved one. They have gone so far as to hire two helicopter crews along with a private search crew, which they explained has not been inexpensive.
"I just picture him walking out of the storm into clear skies, I don't know if it will happen," Beare said. "He's on the mountain somewhere."
It's not yet known if Ambassador Kislyak has responded to Coffman's request.
Those interested in assisting the Beare family can learn more about fundraising efforts in this story.