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Central Texas principal found safe in Waco
Blum schools superintendent Nick Brown said the 38-year-old elementary school principal who mysteriously went missing for a day and a half is safe and visiting with his family.
Two shoppers at Barnes and Noble on Waco Drive today recognized Mark Brandenberger from media alerts and called the police, Brown said.
He said he has not yet spoken to Brandenberger, and has no idea why he left town.
The principal was last heard from at 7:15 a.m. Monday, when he left his home in Clifton. His wife told Clifton police he was going to work. At 8:30 a.m., school officials called his wife and told her that he was not at work, said Clifton police officer Les Perry.
“There was just a lot of concern; a lot of worry,” Brown said. “We had a lot of volunteers out looking for him. Looking in bar ditches along his usual route to work.”
Headed into a meeting with elementary school staff, Brown said, “We’re all relieved.”
Permalink | Comments (18) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Around Central Texas, Education, Police & crime
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Comments
By Robbyn
May 12, 2009 10:23 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
He is a great man and I really and truly hope everything turns out fine….. My prayers are with his family…
By Mike
May 12, 2009 10:37 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
For the life of me I can’t figure out why this is not a bigger news story than it is. I don’t know this man, but I feel that more publicity about his disappearance would increase his chances of being found.
By Sunny
May 12, 2009 10:56 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I agree Mike. I am not picking up any search activity on the scanner today and we called Clifton P. D. and offered to help if there is a ground search. They may be communicating by cell though. Which tower did his last text message ping from? That would give an indication of how far he made it toward Blum and also give a starting point to search. I feel so bad for the family not knowing. That can be an unfriendly route in the dark.
By K
May 12, 2009 12:28 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I agree, you think they would have more information by now but leave it to the clifon police…we’ll never find him! Mr. B used to teach me in 5th grade and then was my asst. principal in high school. I hope they find him soon, I can’t imagine what his family is going through. I’m going to continue to keep him and his family in my prayers.
By lisa
May 12, 2009 12:57 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I watched a news clip on a local TV news station that reported that he had been spotted in Waco around the area of New Road and Franklin. Thoughts and prayers to the family and appreciation to the numerous police agencies and volunteers that are assisting with the search of Mark.
By Kat
May 12, 2009 1:17 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I was just told he has been found in Mart, Texas.
By Sunny
May 12, 2009 1:31 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Any confirmation of finding him in Mart?
By Sunny
May 12, 2009 1:38 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Channel 10 headline is he was found in Waco. Hopefully he has been found alive and well.
By DDD
May 12, 2009 1:44 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Channel 10 says he was at a Barnes and Nobles?????? Come on Trib…….fill in the holes for us.
By Ken
May 12, 2009 1:57 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
We’re working on that, but we’re going to make sure it’s substantiated first.
By Trapper
May 12, 2009 2:36 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
For the life of me I can’t figure out why people do this!!Happens through out the country all the time….They just get fed up and leave!!No note,no good by’s,no warning,no nothing but putting family members through shock!!!!! Then they turn up like nothing is wrong!! I can’t figure it!!!!!!!!!
By Mr. Clean
May 12, 2009 2:39 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Hey…sometimes you just gotta go to Barnes and Noble. Maybe the man needed a coffee and a good book.
By Hungry Jack
May 12, 2009 2:53 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Maybe the swine flu also causes brain disfunction in principals. Better shut down the United States for the next decade.
By brickstone
May 12, 2009 3:12 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
okay, I’m with yall. What in the world is at Barnes & Nobles that anyone needs for 24 hours…call someone! Let ‘em know, that you are having a meltdown & you need to go to Barnes & Noble. Heck, go back home and take a nap. Our peace officers have other things to do, than look for someone that isn’t lost.
By Darla
May 12, 2009 4:01 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Praise God he was found…OK people you need to relize that they need the chance to explain themselves before you get so hateful and judgemental…you never know what’s wrong or what someone’s going through and yes the Police do Amber Alerts and things all the time and it makes a huge difference in finding them dead or alive and that’s what Policemen do it’s there jobs, and God still has a purpose for this Principal….let his family deal with this in private and work on what’s wrong or not wrong..at least he is alive and can still go home to his family and get help if he needs it.
By Sunny
May 12, 2009 4:32 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Very well stated Darla! He is alive and should be given some privacy to sort out what went wrong.
By just me
May 12, 2009 5:34 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
There are medical conditions that could have caused this - i.e. a mini-stroke for one. I hope he’s getting tested to make sure he’s okay. I’m relieved that he’s been found, and pray that the worry has been for nothing.
By Ashley
May 12, 2009 11:53 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
This is a grown man, he does not need to explain his self or where he was at to anybody. I’m sure the school had a back up plan for him not going to work, asst principal maybe. He doesn’t owe anything to anyone. Nor, is it anyones business where he was or what he was doing. How about we worry about something a little more important..Come On Now