'It's just a big blank': Helicopter search for Dwayne Lavallee yields no signs of missing man

Friends and family of Dwayne Lavallee have ramped up their search for the missing 21-year-old, hiring a helicopter to fly over the area where he was last seen.

Lavallee was reportedlast seen on Sept. 22 in the Ebb and Flow First Nation area.

The helicopter was out over the area on Friday, paid for using donations from volunteers, said Kelly Lavallee, Dwayne's mother.

Searchers also used horses this weekend to scour the area, but still couldn't find him, shesaid.

With her son missing for nearly a month, the search is becoming painful for her and her husband, Kelly said.

Still, searchers haven't given up. They planto continue to look for Dwayne this week, bringing back the horses to expand their search outside Ebb and Flow First Nation, Kelly said.

"I'm hoping every day we go out there, that today's the day we'll find him," she said.

"It's very sad for myself. When I walk through the bushes.No motherneeds to go through this."

RCMP haven't given her any updates, and pleas for people to come forward with information haven't yielded much of anything, she said.

"No one seems to know," she said.

"It's just a big blank."

Anyone with information is asked to call Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP at 204-447-2513 or contact Manitoba Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, submit a secure tip online atwww.manitobacrimestoppers.comor text "TIPMAN" plus your message to CRIMES (274637).