Stillwater community holds candlelight vigil for 20-year-old George Musser

The Stillwater community mourned the death of 20-year-old George Musser during a vigil Monday evening at the Stillwater Lift Bridge.

A crowd gathered to support George’s family, who thanked the crowd for attending and for helping search for him on Christmas.

“I am so grateful for all of you being here tonight in this weather,” said George’s mother at the vigil. “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. It’s a mom’s worst nightmare — searching for him for two days and not knowing where he was, and finding out that he had to endure so much in the last few hours of his life. It breaks our heart every five minutes of the day and night.”

“The only peace I’ve had in this is from the good Lord above and his love and mercy for George and for our family,” she added. “And in all of your beautiful faces here. This community and the surrounding communities, who went out of their comfort zones in this cold weather, on Christmas, to search for our George. It fills my heart with such love.”

Authorities asked the public for help finding George on Christmas Eve. He had last been seen early Saturday morning at Brian’s Bar in Stillwater.

The community came together on Christmas and helped authorities search for George.

Authorities found a body matching his description Sunday night in Baytown Township. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner will officially identify the body and his cause of death.

Family members started a GoFundMe to pay for George’s funeral expenses.