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Norfolk family says missing Marine has been found

Posted at 11:05 PM, May 04, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-05 16:03:25-04

NORFOLK, Va. - A Marine who made national headlines when his wife spoke out, fearing contaminates were making kids sick with cancer on military housing was missing Thursday night.

Staff Sgt. Joshua Whatley was found Friday, his sister told News 3.

The 34-year-old Marine based out of Norfolk left to go to work early Wednesday morning and never showed up. His family said his phone was turned off and they were frantic.

For 16 years, Staff Sgt. Joshua Whatley has been serving his country as a Marine.

Tiffany Lantz, Whatley's sister said, "He always wanted to be a Marine."

Lantz said he was deployed five times fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Lantz said combat took a toll on her brother mentally.

"I don't care who you are, if you go over there. You're going to come back different end of story. You see things you are not supposed to see as a human being," said Lantz.

She said this week he didn't show up for work and his wife said no one had seen him since early Wednesday morning.

The father of four made national headlines several months ago when his wife posted a YouTube video raising concern that contaminants near military housing in South Carolina were making kids sick with cancer, including their 8-year-old who was diagnosed in 2015.