BATH — On April 4, 46-year-old Dan Doherty was reported missing after his car and personal items were found abandoned near Veterans Memorial Bridge.

A month later, Doherty’s body was found in the Androscoggin River, not far from the bridge. His body was positively identified, but the investigation continues.

Meanwhile, Doherty’s friends and family are planning a celebration of his life this weekend in Bath.

“Dan was a kindhearted soul who helped everyone who came into his life,” according to the event listing on Facebook. “He had a huge heart and an even bigger warm, friendly smile. His blue eyes were unforgettable. He loved animals, especially dogs. He enjoyed great food and loved to cook. He enjoyed a nice cold beer with some great tunes and lots of friends around.”

The night he vanished, Doherty called his longtime friend, Michelle Cox, with whom he was supposed to meet for coffee in Auburn. Instead, Doherty went missing, prompting a month of searches by police, wardens and volunteers from the Lewiston-Auburn community.

On May 4, Cox and Doherty’s mother, Marilyn Merry, were notified by police that the body had been found in the river.

“I loved him more than anyone or anything in my world,” Cox said this week.

The Celebration of Life for Dan will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 13, at the Bath American Legion Hall Post 21.


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