Jeffrey Boucher’s mother says it’s not like the former Kitchener resident to disappear for a long stretch of time – especially not twice in 24 hours.
Boucher, 52, was last seen Monday morning.
He didn’t show up for work – as a science teacher at Bowmanville High School – later that morning.
Nobody saw him leave his Whitby home, but his family believes he went for his routine morning jog.
A police search began Tuesday and continued Wednesday, with infrared sensors, canine units, helicopters and ATVs all part of the effort.
Boucher was born and raised in Kitchener, attending Eastwood Collegiate and the University of Waterloo.
A former instructor at Chicopee Ski Hill, he continues to teach skiing at Blue Mountain.
His mother, Mary Boucher, says Jeffrey runs every day “like clockwork” in addition to skiing as often as possible.
“He just loves the outdoors,” she tells CTV News.
Mary Boucher says nothing seemed amiss Sunday morning, when she last saw Jeffrey.
Boucher left home later that night – around 8:30 p.m., Mary says – and didn’t return until around 11 p.m.
Family members find that unusual, given he is normally home and in bed before 10 p.m.
There are fears Boucher may be injured, given that he has no history of disappearances and may have been exposed to cold temperatures for more than 48 hours.
Police say they’re working on the theory that he either slipped on ice and fell into a ditch or was hit by a car.
Mary Boucher says the family is hopeful Boucher will be found.
“We’re hoping that maybe he had to disappear for a few days,” she says.
“Everybody has a point where they need to get away, but we would never know because he would never talk about it.”
Boucher is described as white, six feet tall and 180 pounds with short, grey and white hair.
Residents of Whitby are asked to check any security cameras they may have, and to search their properties for any evidence that Boucher may have been there.
With files from CTV Toronto