PORTLAND, Ore. — Family members of James MacDonald remembered the 33-year-old as a family man who loved the outdoors and hiking, with a great sense of humor. MacDonald went missing during a hike last week, and the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office confirmed that his body was found in the Mount Hood National Forest.
"His first priority was his family," said Ben Seeley, MacDonald's brother-in-law.
MacDonald was a radiologist at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and in the final stretch of his residency. He went hiking a lot, often as a solo hiker on shorter treks where he would take beautiful photos, Seeley said — but he also sometimes took his kids along.
"They called it their adventures. Take the boys out, go on hikes, spend time with them, and they loved it," said James Seeley, MacDonald's father in law.
James Seeley said MacDonald departed for what was supposed to be a day hike last Wednesday morning, and he told his wife Amanda he was expecting to be back home in Ridgefield by 5:30 that evening.
"He'd called her at 10:30 in the morning, said 'I'm here, I don't want to talk long because I want to conserve my battery but it's beautiful, see you tonight,' and never came home," James Seeley said.
MacDonald was found on Friday morning after a search that began when his family reported that he was missing. James Seeley said he's been in constant contact with his daughter since they learned her husband was missing.
"One thing she has said is 'Dad, I feel like I am having a bad dream, and I'll wake up and I won't be in this dream.' But, she's like 'I know it's not a bad dream, I know it's my new reality,'" he said.
Amanda and James have four children, the youngest of whom are one-year-old twins. The family has created a GoFundMe campaign to try and help Amanda and the children adjust to their new life.
"This is something we can do right now that's tangible, that will help us get the word out and just help her adjust to a reality that is so different than her reality was on Wednesday," said James Seeley.
OHSU also shared a statement. It said, in part, "Dr. MacDonald touched the lives of many through his work as a radiology resident. His loss is profoundly felt within the OHSU community."
The statement went on to say, "His enthusiasm for learning and adventure, combined with his dedication to medicine, left a lasting impression on his colleagues, friends, and family."
Authorities have not yet released a cause of death, but said they do not believe the death was suspicious. MacDonald's family said he was an experienced hiker, but they believe he got lost and was not prepared to be outside in the elements overnight.
"Be careful and avoid hiking alone. I mean, there's so many unpredictabilities and things that you don't expect to come up, so I think, just being careful and plan ahead," said Ben Seeley. "Prepare for the unexpected because you just never know, you never know, and here we are."
He said MacDonald was like a brother to him.
"Just cherish relationships, life can be startling short sometimes, and things like this are just a reminder of what’s important," he said.