The Latest on the Missing Tourist in Punta Cana

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In this edition of the Grubernation Weekly Newsletter:

• The Latest on the Missing Tourist in Punta Cana

• Shipping my Car to The Dominican Republic

• 28 Things You DID NOT Know about DR

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The Latest on the MIssing Tourist in Punta Cana

One of the biggest news stories in the world right now is about Sudiksha Konanki, the college student who went missing after visiting the Riu Republica in Punta Cana.

I shared my thoughts and the timeline in this video, which you can watch if you’d like.

My heart goes out to her family. I can’t imagine the pain they are experiencing, and I pray for a resolution and a miracle. We’ve all been young. We’ve all taken risks when we felt invincible. Whatever the details ultimately reveal, this is heartbreaking.

Since the news broke, I’ve been FLOODED with messages—questions, conspiracy theories, reports from people claiming to have seen her, and plenty of speculation. It’s been difficult to keep up.

The part that really stands out to me, though, is the conversation about who is responsible for this tragedy.

We don’t have all the details yet.

But my answer to that question?

It’s not the resort. It’s not the country.

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The responsibility they DO have is to conduct a full search, coordinate efforts, and support the investigation. And by all measures, that’s happening.

• The Dominican Republic has deployed search teams, helicopters, drones, police, and military resources. Even President Luis Abinader has been briefed on the case.

• Riu has provided footage and information, assisted with the search, and marked the beach with red flags to warn of dangerous waters—something they did even before this incident.

What’s getting lost in this conversation, however, is something far bigger: the erosion of personal responsibility in American culture.

At some point over the past couple of decades, we’ve shifted from a victor mindset to a victim mindset.

Outcomes are no longer seen as a result of personal choices but as failures of institutions, businesses, or even entire nations.

Now, let me be clear: I am not blaming this young woman. That would be unfair, especially without knowing all the facts.

But from what has been reported so far, there were potentially risky choices involved.

• Going to the beach at 4 a.m.

• Being with strangers.

• Being left alone.

• Entering rough waters, possibly under the influence.

None of these things are inherently bad—they’re decisions that countless young people make while traveling. I’ve made some myself.

When I was 20, my friends left me alone while I was vibing with some girl I just met. Her friends did too.
At 18, 19, 20, I got behind the wheel after drinking more than I should have. I was lucky.

But what if I hadn’t been?

Would it have been the police’s fault for not stopping me? The beer company’s fault for selling alcohol? My friends’ fault for letting me drive?

Of course not. The responsibility would have been mine.

This is not about saying, “She got what she deserved.” That’s a cruel and inaccurate way to frame this.

This is about recognizing that tragedies don’t always require blame beyond the decisions that led to them.

What happened here is devastating. This young woman did what thousands of spring breakers do every year—not just in the DR, but all over the world.

Somewhere out there, there are couples who met on spring break in Punta Cana, slightly intoxicated, who now have kids and a life together.

This could have just been a fun, forgettable night. Instead, it’s turned into a tragedy.

We should absolutely feel for her and her family. We should acknowledge the massive effort being made to find her.

But let’s stop looking for someone or something to blame.

This isn’t about the Dominican Republic. This isn’t about the resort. This isn’t about the security guard, the lifeguard, or the ocean itself.

This is about the reality that choices have consequences, sometimes tragic ones.

Let’s pray for her, for her family, and for those searching for her—without turning this into an indictment of a country that has safely and generously welcomed millions over the years.

Shipping my Car to The Dominican Republic

Last week, my car arrived from MIami to the Dominican Republic.

While I fully intend to produce a really good detailed YouTube video for you complete with tools, recommended vendors and more - I need more time!

For now, here’s what I’ll share that we’ve learned:

• Total cost out of our pocket will land around $9000 it appears

• Our car had zero issues when we retrieved it

• The connection you use to manage through Aduana is essential

  • Our guy had someone there when it arrived, took photos on the boat, as it unloaded and after it was unloaded to show that it was in perfect shape

• There are a few things you don’t know you have to ask for - that we ended up asking for and getting - that we’ll share soon!

• We’re now in the process of getting registration, first party insurance and finalizing the entire transaction with our connect

Once that’s done, and if it’s all good - I plan to share his info if he’s up for it (which I’d imagine he is).

More to come - stay tuned - but hopefully this gives more detail to those that need it in the short term!

28 Things You DID NOT KNOW About Dominican Republic

Thanks to many of you for the questions you asked! I take them and turn them into long form content to ensure this community gets its answers.

In this video, I answered 28 questions between 6 categories:

• Living in DR

• Income and Finances in DR

• Schools and Education

• Shipping a Car

• Real Estate Investing

• Miscellaneous

This one has a TON of info, so take out your notebook and write some things down!

That’s it for this week! I’ll update on anything I learn about this young lady and keep an eye out for some amazing content from Cotui, Jarabacoa and on shipping a car on my YouTube channel (subscribe!!)