ELKO COUNTY, NV. (NEWS1130) – The search for a Penticton man who set out for help after he and his wife got lost in Nevada in March of last year has come to a sad end.     
    
Detective Jim Carpenter with the Elko County Sheriff’s Office says Albert Chretien’s body was discovered in a heavily wooded area by hunters over the weekend.
    
“We went up there and recovered the remains and transported him back here to the funeral home, and found some items in his pocket that identified him as Albert,” explains Carpenter.

“[We] notified his wife of what we found and talked to the family for quite a while [on Sunday] and they are somewhat relieved that Mr. Chretien was actually found.”

“We’ve continued searching this entire time, but now it kind of gives them a little bit of closure to…the actual incident,” Carpenter adds.

Penticton Mayor Dan Ashton says Al was a fixture in the community, and everyone hopes this will bring the family much-needed closure. 

“An incredibly well respected man and a gentleman who gave and gave and gave.  There was a tremendous effort put in not only by this community but by individuals in the areas where he was lost trying to try and find him. Now it’s happened and I’m very glad for the family.”

Chretien was last seen by his wife Rita in March 2011 when he left her in their stranded van to go find help.
    
Rita survived for seven weeks on little more than trail mix, candy and some water from a nearby stream until hunters found her.

Members of the Chretien family will be speaking to the media on Tuesday morning.  Stay with News1130 for the latest updates.