Missing Erie Boy, Ethan Fisher, 15, Found Safe After Disappearing With Plans to Live in the Wild

A 15-year-old Erie boy who went missing for nearly two days has been found safe, the Erie Police Department confirmed Wednesday evening.

Ethan Fisher was last seen on Monday, May 25, 2026, at around 2:42 p.m. near Weld County Road 7 and Weld County Road 12 in Erie, Colorado. He had left his home shortly before that time and told people he was heading to Thomas Reservoir to go fishing. He never came back.

The Erie Police Department put out a public alert asking the community for help in finding the teenager. According to police, Ethan had made comments before his disappearance about wanting to go to the mountains and live in the wild on his own.

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Despite the concerning nature of those remarks, investigators said there was no information pointing to foul play, and they did not believe Ethan was in immediate danger. Officers actively followed up on leads and reported sightings throughout the search.

Ethan was described as standing about 6 feet tall and weighing 210 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing baggy jeans, a baggy black T-shirt, a green and white baseball hat, black and pink shoes, and a silver bracelet with a turquoise stone.

He had been riding a purple and black mountain bike and may have been carrying a backpack that contained fishing gear.

Community Members Organized Searches and Reported Sightings

The response from the Erie community and surrounding areas was immediate and emotional. Residents took to social media to share tips, coordinate search efforts, and offer prayers for Ethan and his family.

One community member, Nate Biddle, reported calling the police tip line after believing he spotted Ethan around 3 p.m. on County Road 7 near Highway 52, heading north on a bicycle with a fishing pole sticking out of a backpack. Several others reported possible sightings in the Broomfield and Westminster areas.

Middle school students on summer break organized a search party to comb the trails and surrounding fields. Volunteers on bikes searched areas where Ethan was known to hang out with friends.

One parent wrote on social media that her son, a friend of Ethan’s, spent the morning riding his bike searching their usual spots.

Suggestions poured in about possible locations, including St. Vrain State Park, the St. Vrain Creek area, and spots along County Road 7 heading north toward Boulder County.

Some community members noted those areas would fit both the fishing angle and Ethan’s expressed desire to spend time in the mountains away from town. Others suggested checking with RTD to see if he had taken public transportation toward the Boulder mountain area.

Police urged the public throughout the search to avoid spreading speculation on social media, noting that inaccurate information can interfere with an active investigation and complicate efforts to bring a missing person home safely.

On Wednesday night, the Erie Police Department deactivated the missing person alert, confirming that Ethan had been found safe.

No additional details about where he was located or the circumstances of his recovery were immediately released. His family and the community can now breathe a sigh of relief.