People from as far afield as Birmingham and Hampshire turned up to help with the search for Noah, who was from nearby East Bergholt.
Helicopters, dog units and members of the public had been scouring the area, close to the River Stour on the Suffolk-Essex border.
Reflecting on the community response, Woods wrote in his Facebook post: “It seems he has made an impact across the whole nation.
“You have all taken Noah into your own hearts, with all the overwhelming help, we were all just trying to bring him home to us safe and sound.”
He thanked everyone who came together to search for “our boy” – listing emergency services, businesses and venues in the village – and “all of the people who gave up their time in their busy schedules to help us when we most needed it”.
“The compassion shown by all of you will never be forgotten by us, and brought us comfort and strength at the darkest time of our lives.”
He finished the post by addressing his son.
“It has been a privilege to be your parents and be able to have packed so much love in the short three years you were with us.”
Suffolk Police said his death was not being treated as suspicious, but that officers still had inquiries to complete before submitting a file for the coroner.
Supt Tom Pearse thanked the family for their “patience and understanding throughout the searches”.
“It was clear from the media coverage we saw that they not only had all of Suffolk behind them, but an outpouring of goodwill from across the entire country and beyond.
“I know how grateful Noah’s family are for all the support and kind messages they have received, but would reiterate our plea to now allow them the time, space and privacy they need at this deeply distressing time.”