More Than Just a Hobby

Shane did not start out as a professional recovery diver, but rather as someone who enjoyed exploring local West Virginia spots like Brush Creek Falls. He eventually got his scuba certification and began collaborating with established groups like Adventures with Purpose after seeing their work online. Today, he uses high tech sonar equipment to scan for submerged vehicles that have been hidden beneath the surface of lakes and rivers. Shane explains that these machines can even show whether a car’s windows are up or down before he ever enters the water.

“I started watching these YouTube channels about finding missing people and then they decided that they come to the east coast and he’s like, ‘Hey if you want to dive with us feel free I’ll be at this place we’ll meet here.’ And that’s how it kind of started.”

A Graveyard of Steel

The number of vehicles Shane and his associates have discovered is staggering, with nearly thirty found in a single Nashville search and over a hundred in Pittsburgh. While some of these are stolen cars or insurance scams, many represent missing person cases that have remained cold for a long time. Shane often performs this work as a volunteer, using his own vacation time to provide closure to families when official resources are limited. He notes that a car can be hidden in as little as six feet of water and remain completely unnoticed for years if the water is murky enough.

“One was in Nashville that was a real memorable one. We searched for him for probably 5 days. We ended up finding close to 30 some cars.”

Grit, Silt, and Snapping Turtles

Operating underwater is often a game of touch because the silt is so thick that visibility frequently drops to just a few inches. Shane describes the somber reality of checking a vehicle and finding a seatbelt still latched, which typically indicates that a person is still inside. Beyond the emotional weight, the job is physically taxing and involves dangerous risks such as getting tangled in submerged paracord or encountering massive snapping turtles the size of truck tires. Even with these hazards, he continues the work because he wants to be the person who can finally tell a parent that their child has been found.

“When you go to it you’ll feel around if the windows are up or down and you’ll go to the driver’s seat and you’ll stick your hand in and you’ll just kind of feel around. A lot of times you’ll be able to tell if the seat belt is still latched.”

Want to see the incredible footage of these recoveries and hear the wild story of how Shane once lost his finger on the job? Check out the full video below!