A section of Barren River south of Smiths Grove with nearby caves and woods provided hours of joy to Shawn Faulkner and his family.

Faulkner’s sister, Shelly Compton, would often bring her children there to meet up with Faulkner and his children.

“We’d sit out here for hours on end and let the kids run,” Compton said. “We knew about a cave that was out here that we’d bring the kids to.”

That portion of the river where Martinsville Road ends is Faulkner’s last known whereabouts, and family members have joined several first responders in searching for the 46-year-old Smiths Grove resident.

Faulkner was last seen Sunday morning by his spouse, Martina Faulkner, who said the two had gone to the river the day before with their children.

That morning, Martina Faulkner recalled that Shawn was upset about a conflict involving another person and said that the couple should just go back out to the water, where they had been so happy the previous day.

Shawn Faulkner then abruptly left the home, leaving behind his wallet, which was still drying on a dresser.

When there was no word from him the next day, Martina Faulkner grew increasingly concerned, and family members went out to the river Tuesday morning and found his locked car at the end of Martinsville Road, with his cell phone in the front seat.

The Warren County Sheriff’s Office was contacted Tuesday, and since then authorities have been attempting to find Faulkner.

According to the sheriff’s office, numerous volunteer fire departments have been involved in the search, scouring the area of his last known whereabouts.

“We’re at a loss because it doesn’t make sense that he would go this long without making contact with me and his kids,” Martina Faulkner said. “The amount of support that we have received during this has just been outstanding, so many people showed up (Wednesday) to go out on foot and search for him. He wouldn’t believe how many people love him.”

Martina Faulkner has split her time between canvassing the area during the search and fielding phone calls from concerned friends, hoping for any new information.

“Anyone who knows him knows that he loves his family more than anything,” Martina Faulkner said. “His children are everything to him. He is a very calm and caring and giving person who would give the shirt off his back, but when it comes to his family, he will fight.”

Faulkner’s spouse and sister both said they recently learned that one of Shawn Faulkner’s former high school teachers had reported seeing a man who matched Faulkner’s description walking along Martinsville Road toward Ky. 101 on Sunday afternoon.

Social media posts from family members have urged the public to contact them or the sheriff’s office with any information about Faulkner’s whereabouts.

Compton said that she and other family members had planned to meet with first responders late Thursday morning at Martinsville Baptist Church to expand the scope of their search.

“I just hope and pray we find him safe and get him home,” Compton said. “It means the world to me to see that many people looking for him.”