Hiker, Who Went Missing with His Dog in the Outer Banks, Is Believed to Be Dead as Family Says He Has ‘Terminal Illness’

Hiker, Who Went Missing with His Dog in the Outer Banks, Is Believed to Be Dead as Family Says He Has ‘Terminal Illness’

Chris Palmer’s father said, “Our family believes our son perished in the sea”

Desiree Anello

Sun, January 25, 2026 at 6:34 PM UTC

3 min read

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National Park Service Chris Palmer kneeling beside his dog, Zoey — National Park Service
Chris Palmer kneeling beside his dog, Zoey

NEED TO KNOW

Chris Palmer, who went missing with his dog in the Outer Banks in North Carolina, is believed to be dead after his belongings were found along the coastline
The 39-year-old had gone to the Smoky Mountains to camp before he told his family signal was too spotty to stay in contact
His family has since shared that they “recently learned that Christopher was facing a terminal illness”

A hiker, who went missing with his dog in the Outer Banks in North Carolina, is believed to be dead after his belongings were found.

Two weeks after Chris Palmer, 39, went missing in North Carolina, his father, Bren Palmer, shared on social media that he and his family made the “difficult decision” to put a stop to all active search efforts for his son.

“We recently learned that Christopher was facing a terminal illness,” he wrote on Facebook on Jan. 24. “Knowing this has helped us understand the choices he made. Christopher loved the outdoors and valued his independence. The treatments ahead would have taken much of that away, and he did not want that future for himself.”

Noting that Chris’s belongings were discovered near the coastline, Bren said that their family believes he “perished in the sea.”

“As heartbreaking as this is, we have found a measure of peace in that understanding,” he continued. “We are deeply proud of the man Christopher was, and we hope his story brings awareness to the emotional and mental burdens people can face during serious medical challenges.”

“We would like to thank the United Cajun Navy and every volunteer, first responder, and community member who searched for our son,” he added. “It has been profoundly humbling to see so many people care for someone they never met. Our family is at peace and asks that Christopher’s memory and the safety of others be respected as we seek closure.”

The update comes eight days after Chris was officially declared missing with his dog after a truck belonging to him was found on a North Carolina beach on Jan. 12, three days after he last made contact with his family, according to the National Park Service.

National Park Service Chris Palmer's vehicle and kayak on the afternoon of Jan. 9, 2026 — National Park Service
Chris Palmer's vehicle and kayak on the afternoon of Jan. 9, 2026

In a Jan. 20 news release, officials said, “Palmer is believed to be traveling with his German shepherd and may still be in the area.”

Two days later, the NPS shared in an update that, after reviewing Dare County traffic camera footage, investigators believe Palmer’s truck was in Dare County as early as the afternoon of Jan. 9. While it was not there when the vehicle was found on the beach, footage showed that there was a blue and white kayak in the back of the vehicle at the time.

Bren shared on Jan. 19 that his son went to the Smoky Mountains with his dog Zoey to camp 11 days prior.

“He does alot of camping in the national forests,” he explained on Facebook. “He lets us know when and where he is going and when he is expected to return.”

While he had received frequent communications from Chris up until Jan. 9, Bren noted that his son had told him that signal became too spotty to talk the day before his truck was found abandoned on the beach “hours away in the opposite direction he was headed.”

“The National Park Service are currently searching for him with teams and infrared drones near buxton,” he wrote at the time. “Im [sic] asking for prayers that he is found safe and send this to friends you might know in the mention areas.”

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