Decades After Michael C. Rockefeller Mysteriously Vanished, Questions About His 1961 Death Resurface (Exclusive)

When his vessel capsized 10 miles disconnected nan seashore of New Guinea backmost successful 1961, Michael C. Rockefeller, 23, decided to aquatics to onshore and get help. He was ne'er seen again.

At nan time, Michael, 1 of nan 5 children calved to Nelson Rockefeller, one-time politician of New York, and his wife, Mary, had traveled to nan land of New Guinea to cod creation and artifacts. Years later, his father, continuing his family’s longtime support of nan arts, donated overmuch of nan postulation to nan Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Over nan years, Michael's disappearance became nan worldly of legend, including speculation that he’d been murdered and eaten by cannibals, a mentation his family, who believes he drowned, has agelong refuted.

Sixty-four years aft Michael’s disappearance, nan Metropolitan Museum has renovated and reopened nan Michael C. Rockefeller wing. “I consciousness for illustration nan reopening of nan helping is nan fulfillment of father’s dream,” Michael's copy sister Mary Rockefeller Morgan, 87, precocious told nan New York Times. “And Michael’s dream.”

Back successful 2014, she gave a uncommon and poignant question and reply to PEOPLE astir her twin, arsenic shared below.

On Nov. 19, 1961, Michael C. Rockefeller, 23, a boy of then-New York Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller, vanished disconnected nan seashore of New Guinea. An heir to nan Rockefeller lipid fortune, he'd traveled location arsenic portion of an anthropological expedition and remained to cod creation from nan Asmat tribe, hunter-gatherers who lived successful virtual isolation from nan modern world.

His disappearance made headlines worldwide — a boy of immense privilege gone without a trace. But nan nonaccomplishment emotionally shattered his copy sister, Mary. The 2 youngest of Nelson Rockefeller's 5 children from his first matrimony were truthful close, says Morgan, "we completed each other." Therapy helped her judge Michael's death, presumed to beryllium from drowning aft his catamaran capsized, though clouded successful speculation that he was murdered and eaten by cannibals — a mentation she disputes.

"There is nary nonstop aliases conclusive grounds of really Michael died," says Morgan, a psychotherapist specializing successful copy bereavement and condolences counseling. Her symptom resurfaced earlier [in 2014] erstwhile Carl Hoffman's book Savage Harvest retold nan cannibal story. Her ain book, When Grief Calls Forth nan Healing, was updated and reissued.

Morgan said to PEOPLE's Liz McNeil astatine her New York City location astir her brother, his bequest and nan symptom of his loss.

"We were successful nan aforesaid crib until we were astir 2½, and Michael, nan adventurous one, climbed out. Michael was very inquisitive and independent. He was fascinated pinch beautiful things, pulling maine complete to look astatine something: a rock, erstwhile we were toddlers, aliases later a painting.

"We understood that being from nan Rockefeller family was a large responsibility, but besides thing we felt to beryllium a burden, because we didn't really cognize who we were arsenic individuals. This desire to definitive who he was was 1 of nan reasons he went to New Guinea [in April 1961] arsenic portion of a Harvard University expedition and why he wanted to find retired astir group who lived successful a wholly different way. The expedition was going to make a movie connected Indigenous group who had ne'er seen White people; he became fascinated pinch them.

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"I had a premonition that he would not travel home. But location was nary chance of dissuading Michael. In his letters home, he was wholly thrilled astir what he was doing. He felt very comfortable pinch nan people. He would beryllium successful nan fields and talk to nan children. He was fascinated by their civilization and really their creation sprang from mundane life. He bartered for creation objects pinch baccy and axes. They were a pre-Stone Age civilization and had nary measurement of making implements isolated from retired of wood, aliases bones of group aliases animals.

"On Nov. 20 my begetter came successful pinch a cablegram for maine and my brothers and mother to read. I knew heavy down for 1 unspeakable infinitesimal that Michael was gone. I thought my begetter was nan personification who would lick everything, and we would spell to New Guinea and find him. I could conscionable image Michael, disheveled, having surmounted immoderate obstacle and wondering why we were truthful upset.

"We near that night. [Nelson Rockefeller chartered a 707 level to New Guinea.] Father knew nan section group would beryllium frightened. They had seldom seen a level before. He knew if he had immoderate chance of uncovering Michael, it was going to beryllium that these Indigenous group would find him successful their canoes. We were incredibly moved by nan magnitude of group who came retired complete this immense expanse of jungle from their mini villages and went to hunt for him.

"We were location astir 10 days. I accepted that Father and nan Dutch officials felt that it was clip to telephone nan hunt off. I wasn't aged capable to mobility their decision. The prevailing thought was that he had drowned. In a seaplane complete nan dense jungle coastline, I realized really unbelievably difficult it was to make it to shore. Michael's companion, anthropologist Rene Wassing, who survived and was later rescued, told america that their catamaran had begun to get swept retired to sea. After a time of trying to paddle, and having mislaid each their nutrient and water, Michael realized nan only point that could perchance prevention him was if he swam to shore. Rene didn't aquatics and knew he would ne'er make it. So Michael started disconnected for nan shore. Nobody has ever seen him since.

"There person been galore tales complete nan years astir his disappearance — articles, movies, books, a play — each astir chiefly 1 story: that he made it to statement and was killed and cannibalized. New archival investigation makes it clear that nan Dutch authorities didn't want cannibalism talked about. They didn't want to consciousness for illustration they hadn't been capable to power these people. Nobody knows what happened to Michael, and that leaves our family successful a unspeakable spot of not knowing.

"At nan clip I deliberation my begetter was successful shock, conscionable for illustration I was. We held connected to each other, but we really didn't talk astir it. When I came location and saw my mother, I hugged her. She hugged maine back. Then she mildly pushed maine distant and said, 'Mary, nan 1 point we must understand is that we cannot cry.' She didn't opportunity it, but I knew what she was thinking: We could not autumn apart. I deliberation that was portion of that consciousness of work arsenic a personnel of nan Rockefeller family. It was hard, but I followed her lead. I repressed my tears and denied Michael's decease for years.

"I wanted him to beryllium live truthful overmuch that sometimes I thought I saw him successful a crowd. When you don't cognize really nan personification died, it prolongs nan grieving and nan healing. There were times successful my life wherever I really couldn't function. I had to get therapeutic help. Six years aft Michael's decease moreover my therapist told maine I had to move on. To him, it was clip to move connected pinch my 'wonderful' life — I had truthful overmuch to look guardant to. But it was for illustration half of maine was gone. It took maine 27 years to heal. Twins consciousness an tremendous bond. I later worked pinch twins who mislaid their copy successful nan 9/11 disaster. Deep down, I wanted to stock my communicative too. I wanted to do immoderate bully and show that we tin yet heal.

"Slowly I began to person memories of Michael that didn't bring tears and pain. Today he feels truthful present. He near for maine his unthinkable curiosity and his expertise to clasp life. I emotion to spell to nan Metropolitan Museum and look astatine nan creation he collected — it's a awesome point erstwhile you deliberation he was only 23 years old. And it stands arsenic a tribute to nan Asmat group that nan sculptures are portion of 1 of nan awesome traditions of creation successful our world. Michael died doing what he loved. But he is bigger than his death. My family and I clasp him successful our hearts, and we are truthful proud of his legacy."

For much accusation connected Michael C. Rockefeller's creation collection, please spell to metmuseum.org/essays/the-asmat.