On the morning of Saturday, August 23, 2008, Michael Edwin Hearon, a 51-year-old successful home builder, spoke with his two sons, as was his routine. He told them he was heading from his condominium in Maryville, Tennessee, to his cherished 100-acre family farm in the remote Happy Valley area of Tallassee. His plan for the day was simple: to mow the lawn at the property, a place he knew intimately, nestled adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After picking up a lawnmower from one of his son's homes, he made his way to the farm. Around 11:00 a.m., neighbors saw Michael, known to most as Mike, leaving his Bell Branch Road residence. He was driving his green Yamaha Wolverine ATV and offered a friendly wave as he drove off. That brief, casual gesture would be the last time anyone is known to have seen him.
Concern began to mount when the weekend passed with no word from Mike. This was unusual for the devoted father who was in regular contact with his family.
On Monday, August 25, his sons went to the Happy Valley property to check on him. They discovered his truck parked at the end of the driveway, which was not his usual practice, as it blocked access for a school bus that was permitted to park there. The truck's windows were rolled down, and perplexingly, all of his personal belongings were inside: his keys, cell phone, wallet containing cash and credit cards, and his gun. The lawnmower he intended to use was still on the trailer attached to the truck, and the grass remained uncut. The only thing missing from the farm was the ATV he was last seen riding.
An official search began, and on Tuesday, August 26, the missing ATV was found abandoned about a mile from his home. It was discovered pushed into thick brush on a steep hill, in a location his sons said he did not typically frequent. The vehicle was undamaged, but in a strange state: it was left in high gear with the ignition switch in the 'on' position, which was uncharacteristic of the meticulous outdoorsman. Despite extensive and repeated searches by law enforcement, community members, and his family over the years, no trace of Mike Hearon has ever been found. His family does not believe he is still alive, noting it was entirely out of character for him to leave without warning, especially given his close relationship with his sons and his excitement about becoming a grandfather. The case of Mike Hearon's disappearance is a baffling mystery, leaving a family without answers and a community haunted by the story of a man who seemingly vanished into the dense woods of the East Tennessee mountains he loved so much.Last Seen: Aug 23, 2008
