Dmetri Kennedy-Woody

On May 28th, 2018,

CBDR was dispatched to conduct a search for a young man by the name of Dmetri Kennedy-Woody, a Hanford High School senior who had gone missing while swimming with friends in the Yakima River. The Golden Hour came and went, and hours stretched into days due to the treacherous conditions below the surface of the water. CBDR, along with several other agencies and countless private individuals aiding in the search, turned up nothing. As this played out, it became clear to us on the team that traditional methods of gathering witness testimony and locating Last-Seen Points were no longer sufficient—that our community’s families deserved better, and that modern technology had a role to play in bringing the families of those who are lost the closure of having that loved one brought home for proper memorialization.


A campaign was born through this search for Dmetri that would go on to do just that; through which the communities and businesses of the Columbia Basin showed extraordinary support for CBDR’s mission- but moreover for the families in our community forced to endure the loss of loved ones in our area’s waterways.


In April of 2019, CBDR took delivery of our Marine Sonic ARC Explorer side scan sonar system, months ahead of our original expectations. The following month, two team members traveled to Virginia to attend training with the system’s manufacturer. Within weeks of their return, our services were requested by the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office in the search for two missing boaters. Only hours into that first search with the system, we were able to locate not one, but both of the missing individuals and later that same evening made the recoveries of both of their remains. The loss to the community in such an event can be profound, but to a family it is nothing short of devastating. From its first time it’s been used in an active mission, the system has proven its potential to not only make these recoveries faster and reduce the exposure of our divers to unseen dangers, but to also bring closure to mourning families in a timely manner.

On March 22nd, 2020, CBDR officially named the system “Dmetri” in honor of the young man whose loss inspired the campaign. Dmetri’s memory stands as a reminder, not just of him, but of CBDR’s commitment to serve the families of those who are lost. This system serves as a tribute to all of the losses our community has been forced to endure- Kai, Nicole, Janice, Trenton, Cole, and so many more.


Thank you to these donors for turning this system into a reality!

Organization and Business Donors

Battelle

Richland Rod & Gun Club

Pasco Chamber of Commerce via Non-Profit Showcase

P&K Tri-City Towing

Sunrise Rotary

Season Social Group

CRF Metalworks

CBC Welding Program

Private Donors

Aimee Fournier-Plante

Joanne Hiltwein

Andrea Vickers

Shane, Julie & Lucas Webb

Derek Small

William Pullen

John Young

Kit Green

Wolfe Family

Rachel Wyant

Amy Bendotti

Steven & Lori Olson

Angela Grad, In loving memory of Cole Grad

William Zickuhr

Keyna Collingham

Kinuyo Oswalt

Noel Family

Jeremy, Joanna and Malachi Rutherford

Nate Dee

Katie Crusselle

Alice Orrell

Tiffany Rohdenburg

The Connecticut Aunts

Sam & Laurie Szendre

Danial & Barbara Sisk

Larry & Sandi Gross

Marcia Richman

Mark and Ginny Morton

The Cooper Family

George and Connie Boice


*The remainder of our donors wished to remain anonymous, but we appreciate them just the same! Thank you!