After learning that their only son had been identified as the body found Wednesday in the St. Joseph River, Chad Sharon's parents, Steve and Jane Sharon said they wanted to express their thanks and gratitude to the Notre Dame community during the past two months for the support offered by students, faculty and administrators.

"They'll never know how much we appreciate it," said Steve Sharon. "Everyone really cared," he said.

In particular, Steve Sharon said he wanted to thank Notre Dame students for their prayers and concern since Chad Sharon's disappearance. "I want to thank all the students for everything," Steve Sharon said.

Steve Sharon said he and his wife would use their visit to campus today to bring closure to their two-monthlong ordeal. "Now we can bring Chad home," said Steve Sharon. "We're coming down there [Thursday] morning. I want to say goodbye to Chad," he said in an interview with The Observer Wednesday night.

Chad's father also discussed his son's feelings about being a student at the University. "That was his dream – to go to Notre Dame," said Steve Sharon.

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