We had 4 hours to make a 3 and a half hour drive, easy breezy, unless you are traveling one lane roads in Friday afternoon traffic. I would ask when will the logistics nightmare end? But it ends tomorrow with the end of the tour. Until next year that is, because reality is, it's just life on the road tour.
This is Harlan's stop so he ends up unplugging the garmin....He knows better, and gets us there close to the starting time. The stop is being held at the Laurinberg Courthouse, last year it was at the Laurinberg Sheriif's Department, and I believe in 2011 it was in Lumberton. In the past it's usually our first stop and where Harlan joins us, he always manages to escape the prep work. Oh. And we are in North Carolina not South Carolina. Which I did know but forgot since not only were we in SC earlier we will be in SC again tomorrow morning and then NC again tomorrow afternoon. I'm sorry, I know they are close but the yoyo effect isn't working for me.
When we pull in its already dark and they have already started. I can see all the tables up front and people gathered around. A host is already in place speaking behind the tables. They immediately call Monica up and I'm attempting to set up our table in back of our van and take pictures all at the same time. I see lots of people I know, lots of familiar faces I recognize that I'm sure I'm supposed to know and lots of people I do not know. Monica speaks and then I hear Harlan being called up, because of his nephew I assume, until I hear him say he's not good at speaking and that I should come up. As I hear my name and make my way up front I really have no idea why, and as I take the microphone I have to ask what I'm supposed to talk about as Harlan smirks at me from the sidelines. She just wanted a tour volunteer to speak about our journey. I can't remember specially what I said although I'm sure I mentioned why I'm involved with CUE, I do know that later strangers wanted to hug me. Lots of families spoke, not only families of the missing but also families of unsolved homicides. It was a large crowd and it encompassed many groups of families that needed different forms of resolution for their loved ones.
This stop is for multiple missing persons and is being hosted by all their families.
Ricky Bethea grew up in Laurinburg but actually went missing from Milton where he was staying at an assisted living facility. He suffered from schizophrenia and was 45 when he went missing in 2007. He had went out walking into the woods with another resident that day. While the other resident returned to the facility, Ricky never did and has not been seen since. His energetic talkative sister was the host emceeing tonight.
Kimberly Thrower disappeared from Laurinburg in 2004. She was 16 and had left home in the morning for high school. She was last seen waiting at her stop for the school bus, but never got on and never arrived at school that day. It is believed that a man came up to her at the bus stop, put his arm around her and walked her into the woods.
Delwin Locklear disappeared from Martin in 2004. He was a 27 year old father of 2 when he was last seen in a wooded area behind his home. He is Harlen's nephew and the reason Harlen is involved with CUE. Not only does Harlan volunteer on this tour and attend the conferences every year, he's also a searcher.
I first met Harlan in 2006 when we both were attending our first conferences. Mathew was missing then and I attended the conference alone. I can't really say why. Family and friends had offered to come with me but I think I just felt so alone in this journey, you see my husband had died 2 years prior. Although I have a good support system I was determined to go by myself. I was a like a sponge that year taking it all in, very serious and focused. I ended up riding to the vigil with Harlan and his family. They were sitting behind me on the bus. We bonded on that ride and to me that bond
deepens every year.
Troy Jacobs went missing from Red Springs in 1996 at the age of 22. Earlier in the day he had said that there was someone that he was having trouble with and that he feared for his safety. He was last seen at a convenience store getting into a car full of people. He has not been seen since and investigators believe he was taken against his will.
Jessica Lowery was a 25 year old mother of 3 when she disappeared from Lumberton in 2005. She left her home one night to make a 2 mile walk to a friend's home, a walk she made often. She never made it to visit that friend and she has never been seen since. Jessica's family always represents at the vigils in large number wearing their agony clearly on their faces.
Roger Chambers was 34 when he went missing from Raeford in 2010. He was supposed to be going to a meeting and then possibly to meet up with someone who owed him money. He was last seen at a gas station where witnesses saw and spoke to him. He hasn't been seen since and his vehicle is also still missing. I remember first meeting with his family back in 2011 when they were still in the early raw stages of having a missing loved one. What I remember most is his children. Meeting the children of the missing is always heartbreaking and leaves a mark on your soul.
Jennifer Patterson went missing in 1991 from Spring Lake. She was 7 years old back then. Her parents were divorced but they all were still living together. Jennifer was last seen leaving her trailer home barefoot and in a bathing suit to go to a friend's trailer. It was hours before it was discovered that the neighbors were not at home that day and that Jennifer had vanished. The police focused early on her father even though it could be verified that he was at work all day. Jennifer's disappearance is now classified as a non family abduction but no one really knows how much more could have been done back then if only they hadn't made him their suspect. Jennifer's father attempted to come to our first stop in Raleigh, you can go back and read or reread that blog entry. He got lost tonight and arrived towards the end. Although he didn't get to speak he was able to see and sign the banner. I joked with him that now he must come to the finale tomorrow. His daughter went missing over 20 years ago, but you can see in his eyes that it's like yesterday for him.
Elisa
No comments:
Post a Comment