Dominick Bianchi’s father-in-law has spoken out about the family’s anguish after the 35-year-old newlywed was found dead following a days-long search in upstate New York.
Joseph Zyra, father-in-law to Bianchi, told News 10 in a statement on Tuesday that the family had swung from celebration to tragedy in just four months. Bianchi had married Zyra’s daughter Julianna Zyra earlier this year.
“Every family has its share of great joy and profound sadness. Four months ago, we experienced the joy of welcoming Dom into our family, and now we feel the intense pain of his loss,” Zyra wrote.
Bianchi vanished from his East Greenbush home on Tuesday, Sept. 8, leaving behind his cellphone, wallet and car. The absence of these essentials triggered a frantic multi-day search involving police, volunteers and even a group of young boys on bicycles who joined the effort.
His disappearance came with added medical urgency. Bianchi had type 1 diabetes, and relatives feared he was without his insulin. His wife Julianna Zyra had put out a desperate public plea revealing that her husband had been struggling with mental health troubles.
On Sunday, searchers found Bianchi’s body in a wooded area. The Rensselaer County Medical Examiner’s Office told The Post Tuesday morning that it would not be disclosing an official cause of death. The East Greenbush Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Zyra’s statement went beyond personal grief to address a broader audience. He thanked the community, police and volunteers who had joined the search, naming the young cyclists specifically among those who helped.
“Dom was a husband, a son, a brother, a nephew, and a friend. He will be so missed by so many people. But even in this darkness, there is light,” he continued.
The father-in-law then pivoted to a direct appeal aimed at anyone facing mental health challenges. He urged those struggling to seek help rather than suffer in isolation.
“Please know that there is help available, and that you are never alone,” Zyra wrote.
He pressed the point with an emphatic message about perseverance and human connection. “There is always a reason to go on. There is always a reason to get up tomorrow morning. Sometimes we just need someone to remind us of those reasons. Please know that you matter.”
Police had asked area residents to check their properties and review surveillance camera footage for any sign of Bianchi during the search. After his body was recovered, the department offered its “sincere gratitude” for the public’s assistance.
The case has drawn attention to the intersection of mental health awareness and missing-persons searches, with Zyra using his platform to convert private loss into public advocacy even as the family grieves.