Adventurer Fossett declared dead by court
Millionaire daredevil pilot disappeared in rugged Nevada terrain Sept. 3
CHICAGO - Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett, who risked his life seeking to set records in high-tech balloons, gliders and jets, was declared dead Friday, 5 months after he vanished while flying in an ordinary small plane.
The self-made business tycoon, who in 2002 became the first person to circle the world solo in a balloon, was last seen Sept. 3 after taking off in a single-engine plane from an airstrip near Yerington, Nev., heading toward Bishop, Calif. He was 63.
At the request of his wife, Peggy V. Fossett, a judge declared Fossett legally dead in Cook County Circuit Court as a step toward resolving the legal status of his estate, said her attorney, Michael LoVallo.
Judge Jeffrey Malak heard testimony Friday from Peggy Fossett, a family friend and a search-and-rescue expert before deciding there was sufficient evidence to declare him dead.
"It was very sad," LoVallo said, "and at first she hoped and sort of envisioned him walking down the road the next day with another story to tell. But as the days went on, she realized it wasn't going to happen as it had on other occasions when he'd had close calls."
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Not exactly surprised, it was becoming pretty clear that they weren't going to find him. Sad news, he was one of the last great explorers.
However, his wife isn't giving up, she says she plans to continue searching in the spring, because she wants to know what became of him. She had him declared dead due to major legal problems caused by his disappearance, as well as the exhaustive searches over months that turned up nothing.
