Family of Philip Kreycik Confirms Body Found In Pleasanton Is That of Missing Jogger

PLEASANTON (CBS SF) -- The family of Philip Kreycik on Thursday confirmed the body found in Pleasanton is that of the missing Berkeley jogger.

Kreycik's wife, Jen Yao, and his parents, Keith and Marcia Kreycik, spoke to reporters at a press conference Thursday morning. Yao said even though it had been four weeks since her husband had disappeared she had still held out hope he would be found.

"I think when you're hoping for a miracle, you don't realize that it's that last bit of hope that's been carrying you on," said Yao. "And it was brutal when that was taken away."

Through their grief, Yao and Kreycik's parents expressed gratitude for the thousands of volunteers who helped search for Kreycik and supported them during this time.

"It's hard to even know where to start," said Keith Kreycik. "Words are so inadequate when it comes to saying how much we appreciate what people have done."

On Tuesday, a body matching Kreycik's description was found in the Pleasanton Regional Park where he had disappeared on July 10. Pleasanton police said a volunteer found the body shortly after 2:30 p.m. about 250 yards off of a game trail in a remote area of the park.

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office said a citizen volunteer came across the human remains, well away from any proper hiking or running trails approximately a quarter-mile outside of his intended route.

An army of volunteers spent weeks combing the expansive park following his disappearance and the discovery of his parked vehicle at a park trailhead. Volunteers showed up from across the Bay Area to help in the search. Others donated to an online fundraiser to support his family that had garnered more than $112,000 as of Thursday morning.