Police confirmed the body found in Lake Michigan Wednesday is that of Austin Hudson-LaPore, CBS Chicago reported.
The University of Chicago student was missing for more than a week before a young man resembling the missing persons description was seen in the lake by a fisherman. Police recovered the body from the water Wednesday and took the then-unidentified person to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.
Results of the autopsy were not available and it is not clear whether or not LaPore died before or after falling into the water.
According to ABC Chicago, his family gave a press conference Thursday and said memorial services are currently being planned. The family thanked authorities, family, friends, volunteers and all others involved in the search.
"Austin was a bright, promising student who was active on campus, had a great love for the outdoors, and was very engaged," University of Chicago vice president for campus life and student services Karen Warren Coleman said in a statement. "The University community sends our deepest sympathy and condolences to Austin's family and his friends here at the University and across the country. We will have more information soon about a memorial service to honor Austin's life."
LaPore's body was recovered a short distance from where he was last seen and where his father Gregg had suspected he would have gone.
"We think that because of Austin's fascination with the weather that he set out to walk along the lake, perhaps to Promontory Point to watch the storm," his father Gregg LaPore told reporters at a press conference at the University of Chicago on Friday. "When he was 3, he would rather watch the Weather Channel than cartoons on TV."
Austin's mother said last week that she had no reason to believe her son was distraught.
"He's a smart, happy and outgoing young man who was fully engaged in his community," she said.
