Loved ones celebrate life of man who disappeared

Michael Rust’s family and friends remembered a man Sunday who wouldn’t kill rattlesnakes and was passionate about mountain biking. They remembered a 56-year-old with white hair and a long beard who lived alone in a home he built in Saguache. They remembered a man whose death has left more questions than answers.

Rust, who grew up in Security, disappeared on March 31 from his Saguache home. Family members say his home was burglarized, and he tried to track down the people who stole from him. They believe he found them and then was murdered. When no one heard from him, authorities and friends searched the area extensively but found nothing.

On Sunday, about seven months after he disappeared, his family members had a celebration of Mike’s life. It was an event they decided to hold to help bring them closure, even though they admit they won’t have any until they find out exactly what happened.

“We know he’s dead, it’s just a matter of finding him,” said his brother, Paul Rust. “This is a chance to get all of the people who loved him together.”

Rust’s mother, Mary Jane Rust, said she was humbled by the outpouring of love when more than 100 people gathered Sunday.

“We have to admit that there’s not much hope that he’s alive,” said Mary Jane Rust. “We’re trying to grieve and deal with that.”

She said her creative son made many of the items she has on display in her house, and she is constantly reminded about his loss.

“I don’t know that I’m holding up,” she said. “There’s some days that I just get stuck.”

At the event, his friends and family shared favorite stories of the quirky guy who loved mountain biking so much that he was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 1991. He loved the outdoors and lived off of the grid in the home he made from a dilapidated building built from an old cow shed in rural Saguache.

They laughed at a movie he made for his aunt and uncle — showing them the fantastic views he had from his home. He hoped they would come and visit him sometime and have a beer at the table out front.

“Have a good evening,” he said at the end of the video. “I’ve got to get back to happy hour. You’re on your own.”