HADLEY TOWNSHIP -- A Lapeer County family is mourning the loss of their father.
After being missing for 15 hours he's found dead at a recreation area in Hadley Township.
NBC25 talked to the family about how he died doing something he was passionate about.
It’s a hunter's worst nightmare.
Lao Her says about 1:30 Saturday afternoon he and his father, Pao Vang came to the Ortonville Recreation Area in Hadley Township to deer hunt for the first time this season.
“This is his passion to hunt, so I figure you know he is getting old to, and he love to come hunting and stay with nature, that's why I take him here,” said hunter, Lao Her.
Lao and his father decided to split up and hunt alone, the plan was to meet up at a particular spot at 5:00 p.m., but when Lao got there his father was nowhere to be found
“I even go back there to look for him by myself, but it was dark and I didn't know where he at,” said Her.
Her says he scoured these dense woods for two hours before he gave up and called police shortly after 7p.m.
Search crews looked for Vang all night, then at 10 o'clock Sunday morning they found something.
"He was found by one of our K-9 units deceased at the bottom of a hunting blind that was about 13 feet off the ground," said Detective Mark Reaves with Michigan State Police.
"It’s hard for me to imagine that he is gone," said Her.
Police say 72-year-old Vang was a dialysis patient for kidney failure, and his cell phone shows he called for help at 5:40 p.m.
"One of his shoes was at the top of the blind and another down below with him and his weapon, so we don't know if he had a medical, or if he fell out of the blind," said Detective Reaves.
Rescue crews gave Vang's family time to say goodbye before they took him away by ambulance.
“I don't know what to say right now because it is kind of sad for me and the family,” said Lee Xiong, Vang’s son-in-law.
Her says he feels guilty about his father's death, but finds comfort knowing he died doing something he loved.
Police say Vang's autopsy results are expected back Monday.
