Missing young man with autism found dead in Brooklyn

MARINE PARK (WABC) -- The body of a missing autistic man from Brooklyn was found at Marine Park Golf Course Thursday.

There are no words to describe the pain and loss Brian Gewirtz's loved ones are feeling.

For 44 agonizing days, they along with dozens of volunteers held onto hope and relentlessly searched this entire community, never expecting he wouldn't come home.

This is not how the search for the 20-year-old was supposed to end.

Loved ones say he was supposed to have his first kiss, his first drink, and make so many other memories.

Autistic with special needs, his body was discovered at Marine Park Golf Course just two miles away from his family's home. They're now devastated they couldn't tell him one more time just how much he was loved.

"He was so thoughtful, and if you were sad he would sit with you for hours just hugging you and saying I love you," said Laura Rivera, Brian's godmother.

An Eagle Scout, Brian loved the outdoors.

Police suspect he wandered into Marine Park back in mid-February and somehow got disoriented.

With temperatures in the single digits the week he went missing, hypothermia could be to blame for his death since there were no other signs of trauma or foul play. However, Brian's family opted not to have an autopsy performed because of their faith.

"Not knowing was killing all of us through this process and it's what fueled the search and now we know we know," Donnell Nichols, NYC React Search & Rescue.

At a press conference Friday, Brian's godmother along with members of NYC React Search & Rescue made a plea for change with how missing persons cases are handled, especially with the disabled.

"He was over 18 yes, but he had the mind of a very much younger person because of his disability, and lots of people didn't understand that and there really needs to be a law just like an amber alert," Rivera said.

Too overwhelmed with grief to speak Friday, Eyewitness News interviewed Brian's parents at their home when the initial search began.

"You never think your child, I mean, you never...," said Kathleen Gewirtz, Brian's mother, "All people say is they're sorry, but I want my son."