Anna Schmidt, photo date and location unspecified | Photo courtesy of the Portland Police Bureau, St. George News

Updated Saturday 6:00 p.m. John Schmidt released the following statement at approximately 3:30 p.m. Saturday confirming the remains to be those of Annie Schmidt.

We just received word from the medical examiner that the remains found yesterday have been positively identified as Annie. The cause was determined accidental. You have lived this trial with us and we pray that this may bring a greater level of resolution and peace for all of us. Much love The Shmidts

ST. GEORGE – The remains of Annie Schmidt, the daughter of the Piano Guy’s Jon Schmidt, have likely been found, according to a post made to the Find Annie Schmidt Facebook page Friday night.

Annie Schmidt, 21, was originally reported missing last month and was feared by family and officials to have possibly gotten injured or lost while hiking in the Columbia River Gorge near Portland, Oregon.

The search for Annie Shmidt began Oct. 16 and was called off Oct. 26. Michelle Schmidt, Annie Schmidt’s mother, told KOIN 6 News in Oregon during that time that she didn’t believe her daughter was still alive.

“I don’t think she’s survived,” Michelle Schmidt told KOIN 6 News. “Honestly, that brings me comfort knowing she is with her Heavenly Father, that she’s not hurting, that she’s not suffering. But we do want to find her body.”

That belief may have been verified Friday as Jon Schmidt, Annie’s father, posted on Facebook that search dogs had found human remains. While the authorities have yet to positively identify the remains, Jon Schmidt wrote, “We can positively identify the clothing and personal items found at the site as belonging to Annie.”

The remains were found in an area described as being far off the trail and covered in dense vegetation. Official identification of the body will likely come early next week after the medical examiner has had a chance to examination the remains, Jon Schmidt wrote.

The entirety of the Facebook post can be read below:

Finding Annie update: We are VERY hopeful for closure tonight. Today the dog teams found human remains at the bottom of a cliff in the area below Munra Point. The area is so far off trail and dense with vegetation that it required SAR to pretty much crawl uphill to get there. Conclusive identification of the remains is impossible. The medical examiner will have conclusive identity verification by Monday or Tuesday. There is comfort in knowing from the circumstances that there would have been no suffering. We can positively identify the clothing and personal items found at the site as belonging to Annie. The Sheriff’s department is making a public statement that there is reason to believe that Annie has been found, awaiting conclusive evidence from the medical examination. We wanted each and every one of you who are special beyond words to us to hear it first. There is no way to thank our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ for the support we have felt through you. You have searched with us, prayed with us, hoped with us, fasted with us, supported us and sacrificed for us. We thank you from the very bottom of our hearts!!!! Much much love! The Schmidts

The Piano Guys world-famous musical group was founded in a St. George piano shop. The group became an internet sensation by way of its immensely successful series of original self-made music videos. The Piano Guys’ YouTube channel currently has more than a billion total video views and over 5 million subscribers.

St. George News reporter Kimberly Scott contributed to this article.

Email: mkessler@stgnews.com

Twitter: @MoriKessler

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