MALABAR, Fla. -- Antz, the horse that ran off when it was spooked by a revving car engine during a walk with his owner in Malabar earlier this month, apparently has died.

Doug Hanna, 33, of Malabar, wrote in an e-mail message to Local 6 News partner Florida Today that Antz "didn't make it." Hanna wrote that he was grieving and too upset to talk about the details.

Antz bolted during a walk with Hanna when a driver gunned his engine as he passed by, scaring the horse, Hanna said. Antz got his name because he was "antsy," Hanna said. Since then, Hanna received offers of assistance and support from neighbors and others who were touched by his story. A man who lived on Merritt Island flew to Palm Bay with his experimental plane to take Hanna up over the area to search for Antz.

Others organized search parties and wrote words of encouragement.

Hanna said he was grateful for all the help and attention his story garnered. He said he plans to give details about finding the dead horse as soon as his grieving ends.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.