Craig Strickland’s Loved Ones ‘Overwhelmed’ With Support as Search for Backroad Anthem Singer Continues

As the search for missing country singer Craig Strickland continues for a third full day, his family, bandmates and friends continue to receive support from all over, and hold out hope that the Backroad Anthem member will be found alive.

A sonar-equipped boat and a search team has been looking for Strickland since Sunday night (Dec. 27), after he and friend Chase Morland -- whose body was recovered on Monday afternoon (Dec. 28) -- headed out on a duck hunt on Kaw Lake in Kay County, Okla., early on Sunday morning, despite severe weather conditions.

"Craig has always been very sure of any situation he's in," fellow Backroad Anthem member Toby Freeman tells People. "A few of us band members have talked, and we all had thoughts of texting him, 'Hey man, I don't think you should go.' But Craig's the type of guy that would have been like, 'It's okay. Everything will be fine.' Honestly, I don't think they had any hesitation about going."

Strickland's dog Sam was found near Morland's body, and the artist's loved ones are hoping the pup's survival signals good news about Strickland himself.

"That's a piece of hope that we're actually clinging on to," Freeman says. "Dog being man's best friend is a saying that's so common, but it's actually so true in this case. Sam's an older lab and for him to make it in such harsh conditions – it's just so amazing, and we're clinging on to that."

After the search was called for the night on Tuesday (Dec. 29), Strickland's wife Helen tweeted that she and the rest of his loved ones "are overwhelmed with the love and prayers we have received." On Wednesday afternoon (Dec. 30), a post on Backroad Anthem's Facebook page lauded Strickland's passion "for God, his wife, his family, his life and this band."

"His passion for music and the stage are what many times have kept us going miles and miles down the road," the post continues. "We want y'all -- our fans, friends and loved ones -- to know Craig is an amazing person, husband, son, bandmate and most certainly best friend."

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