Bernard Rodney Wierzba, 44, went missing on September 27, 2011, after entering the Pembina River near the Manola Bridge, about 20 kilometres east of Barrhead, Alberta. He had been socializing on the river beach with two friends and attempted to cross the river at a shallow point; Bernard was not wearing a life jacket. One companion managed to reach shore, but Bernard and his 28-year-old friend Lloyd Vorman disappeared into the water. Lloyd’s body was recovered the following day; search efforts for Bernard continued, including an air search by the RCMP Force Helicopter and involvement from the Barrhead RCMP detachment. Official reports later confirmed Bernard’s death on the date he was last seen. He was described as a Caucasian male, 67 inches tall, about 194 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.

The community held a memorial service for Bernard on September 29, 2012, at the Rose Garden Chapel in Barrhead. What details about that stretch of the Pembina River or the circumstances that afternoon might help explain how two men attempting the same crossing had such different outcomes?