Parry Sound family shares its heartache after tragic loss of son during camping trip

What was supposed to be a nice family camping trip before back to school, has ended in a nightmare.

Nine-year-old Everett Freeman went camping with his family on Huckleberry Island in Georgian Bay, and went missing around 3 p.m. on Friday.

After a 24-hour search, it ended in tragedy when Freeman's body was recovered.

"He was one in a million, he was so smart, so kind, so compassionate and so loving," said Korey Freeman, the father of Everett. "We went there Thursday night, and Friday the kids were playing hide and seek. Everett was playing with some of his younger cousins, the game petered off and he wandered off . He's an introvert so sometimes he needed a bit of space."

OPP began a major search effort, lasting well overnight into Saturday.

Their search included three canine units, aviation services, their marine unit and their underwater search & recovery team.

Local fire departments and the Canadian Search and Rescue Team were also helping out in the search.

The young boy's body was retrieved from the water.

The family said it doesn't know how this could have happened.

"We're just so grateful, we're so heartbroken but so grateful we had Everett for these nine years," said the devastated father, Korey Freeman.

Everett's father told CTV News that he's incredibly thankful to the police and everyone involved in the search.

An outpouring of support and condolences have also flooded Freeman's social media, for which he said he's forever grateful.