Family and police look for missing hiker

The temperature drops and the clock ticks for one man who disappeared on a hike. Now, the young man's family hopes he'll be found safe and sound.

Twenty-four year old Ean Greer was last heard from Sunday near Jasper.

Time is not on the Greer's side. Late into Thursday night, his family searched underpasses, heavy brush areas, hoping for any sign Ean had been there. 

His father told FOX6 photographer Perry Dawson as they walked through the brush that what he was feeling was, "gut-wrenching. It's heartbreaking. It's a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness," said Eddie Greer.

Ean left his home in Tennessee last week with plans to hike to the Gulf Shore.  Hiking across country is nothing new for Ean. He's been all over the country. 

His family doesn't agree with this lifestyle choice, but it's his to make. They only have one rule, stay in touch.  Ean's mother, Karen Greer said, "He's always made a way to let me know where he is and what the circumstances are and this is four days now and not a word,  not an email, no sign of him on Facebook."

All Karen has to go on are the last few things he told her when she called him on Sunday.  Karen Greer explains, "When he answered the phone he quickly shushed me and said text me."

Ean texted Karen, "I'm camped out by a train yard and I don't want them to get the wrong idea so I think it's best I go unnoticed."

Karen, "I said what wrong idea?" And he said that I might be hopping a train. I put myself near the highway so I can get up early and hitch." 

Ean then told her he was wore out and he loved her. That's the last text Karen got from her son, but it wasn't the last time the phone was used. Karen noticed strange numbers on his phone records Monday and Tuesday and decided to call.  "They answered in English and then didn't speak English any longer," said Karen Greer. Those calls came off a tower at the Galleria Mall in Hoover.

After Tuesday, the phone was never turned on again, leaving those last text messages as Karen's only clue.

"He was trying to be discrete because he didn't want railroad workers thinking he was doing something illegal and maybe what he was actually hearing were people who were there looking for trouble," said Karen Greer. "Ean's a tough, smart, resourceful guy and I feel certain if he was left for dead, he is fighting like hell right now to stay alive. But we can't do many of these nights; we can't do many of these nights." 

Anyone with information about Ean Greer's disappearance is asked to call the Walker County Sheriff's office 205-384-7218.   

Copyright 2012 WBRC. All rights reserved.