Kids of man who 'faked kayaking death and fled to Europe' beg for him to get in touch

Ryan Borgwardt, 45, is believed to have planned an elaborate ruse (Image: Facebook)

The family of a man who is suspected to have left the country, leaving behind his wife and children, has made an emotional plea for his return, as his children are longing for their father. During a press conference, Sheriff Mark Podoll delivered a heartfelt message to 45-year-old Ryan Borgwardt, saying: "Ryan, if you are viewing this, I plead that you contact us or contact your family. We understand that things can happen, but there's a family that wants their daddy back."

"They thought that their dad was drowned. A day ago, they found out that he wasn't," Podoll revealed in the briefing.

He also expressed gratitude towards the man's family, particularly praising his wife's strength: "I want to thank the family, I want to thank his wife. That is one strong lady," he commended. "Whenever we called on her, she always responded and she gave everything she could for us. I cannot imagine what she's going through, and they're going through."

This comes after an extensive search operation was initiated when Ryan was reported missing by his relatives on August 12 following a kayaking excursion to Green Lake.

The dad of three who vanished during a kayaking trip in August (Image: Facebook)

His family had been bracing for the worst, fearing he had perished in the water. The quest to find him spanned eight weeks, with law enforcement and community volunteers scouring the area for any trace of him, as stated by the Green Lake County Sheriff's Office in a Friday afternoon press briefing, reports the Mirror US.

An overturned kayak and lifejacket believed to be Borgwardt's were discovered, along with his vehicle near Dodge Memorial Park.

A fisherman later discovered a fishing rod that the missing man's wife identified as his, and additional personal items - his wallet and keys - were also found. However, investigators now suspect that Borgwardt concocted an unusual scheme to feign his own death and escape to Europe.

They claim they uncovered a new lead in the search for the missing man when they began examining his computers for clues and broadening the investigation. It was then they discovered that Canadian law enforcement had cross-referenced him the day after he was reported missing.

A Wisconsin father of three who vanished during a kayaking trip in August faked his disappearance and fled the country, abandoning his grieving wife and kids who likely feared the worst, local authorities announced Friday. Ryan Borgwardt, 45, was reported missing by his family on August 12 following a kayaking trip at Green Lake he never returned from and was initially believed to have drowned, the Green Lake County Sheriff‘s Office said during a press conference on Friday afternoon.https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10232405326978384&set=pb.1312106691.-2207520000&type=3 (Image: Facebook)

Police held a press conference (Image: Green Lake County Sheriff's Office)

They also discovered that the supposedly missing man had been communicating with a woman from Uzbekistan online, had opened a new bank account, even obtained a new passport before leaving his original one at home prior to his kayaking trip, and cleared his computer. Despite his attempts to conceal his actions, his digital footprint remained.

Investigators claim they have unearthed a plan seven months in the making, dating back to when he first purchased a $375,000 life insurance policy. Since the discovery, all search efforts have ceased, but investigators believe he has since escaped to Europe and are urging him to return to his family.