Keith Kennedy is well on his way to a full recovery, and the

community celebrated July 19 by throwing a thank you party at the Minneapolis

Theatre Garage in Minneapolis.

The Kennedy family, along with a group of volunteers and some 27 sponsors

from the business community organized the event to honor those who helped

search for their son Keith, the 25-year-old autistic man who was lost in the

woods of Burnett County, Wisconsin last month.

About 150 people showed up to celebrate, mingling amidst buffet tables piled

with food, talking, laughing, participating in drawings for prizes and

watching a slideshow showcasing Keith's life in pictures. Many brought cards

and gifts. The day culminated with a night of music and dancing.

Though Keith is still on the mend, his mother Linda Kennedy said, he is

making significant progress and his family feels optimistic that he will

recover fully. He has settled back home again where his family is caring for

him. Keith’s doctors gave him the okay to attend the party.

“He has pneumonia and he's been battling a fever all week, but he's doing

pretty well,” she said. “He doesn't seem to have any ill effects from it at

all, thank God. I am just so thankful for everybody caring about Keith,

loving Keith and caring about us. I am over-the-moon with happiness about

this right now.”

Through the jubilee Keith sat snuggled in a blanket, the centerpiece of

celebration, smiling his appreciation, talking to friends and family members

and enjoying the fare.

Being lauded were the hundreds of trained personnel and volunteers who spent

seven days searching the acres around Trade Lake Camp, a camp for mentally

challenges men and women just south of Grantsburg, WI, after Keith walked

away from the camp on Sunday, June 15.

Once he’s fully recovered, Keith plans to go back to work performing miscellaneous office tasks where he's employed at a Twin

Cities-based training service.

“I hope Keith gets extraordinarily healthy, strong and active,” Linda

Kennedy said. “I'm looking forward to the day he's healthy enough to get back into his daily routine.”

She said the family has a renewed appreciation of the gift of life.

“I cannot tell you just how life-changing this whole event has been — and I

don't just mean for our family, but for everybody,” she said. “My faith in

humanity has been restored. I'm moved by people's generosity of spirit, the

beauty of community and the beauty of determination.”

A second celebration is scheduled for Aug. 2 at Crex Convention Center in

Grantsburg, WI to honor the Wisconsin residents who helped during the

search for Keith.