When your child is missing, your mind races through so many questions – what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. It is overwhelming. We understand. We have been there. We designed this publication to help you take each necessary step, contact the right people, and know how to move forward.
The 2nd edition of this Sibling Guide provides new insights, suggestions, and thoughts for coping with a missing sibling, regardless of the circumstances surrounding their disappearance.
"Life is still worth living after trauma. There can still be beauty, happiness, thriving, and growing. It is okay to have hope for these things. Your sibling wants that for you."
-Kimber, sister of Mikelle
”Gear up for what must happen in the first 24 to 48 hours. It’s time to fortify your mind, your soul. Prioritize self-care and family care, too, because you will need both.”
-Dr. Noelle Hunter, mother of Maayimuna N'Diaye, “Muna”
“Healing takes time and is important, no matter the outcome. Healing and home look differently for everyone.”
-Rysa, sister of Maayimuna
”I admire and support the crusaders who live the cause of protecting our kids, of helping families bring their children home. My daughter is now one of them!”
-Ahmad Rivazfar, father of Sara
“Hope is being able to see there is light despite all the darkness.”
-Sayeh, sister of Sara
”From the moment our child went missing, time stood still - but went by so fast. Our lives changed dramatically.”
-Elaine Hall, mother of Dylan Redwine
"Every day is different, but each one is a blessing. Find your own happiness.” .”
-Cory, brother of Dylan
”A lot of parents find their way through the trauma by doing good deeds for others – by helping the next person navigate the mine field.”
-Nacole Svendgard, mother of Jessika
“Feeling lonely doesn’t mean you are alone. Feeling guilty doesn’t mean you are responsible. Feeling angry doesn’t mean you don’t care.”
-Zack, brother of Jessika
”Although you may feel like you’ve been dropped onto another planet when first working with law enforcement, remember that they don’t know you, or your world. Work hard at letting them know who you are as a family, and what is both unusual and customary in your home. Think of their brusqueness as urgency as they begin their search and learn about you and your child.”
-Patty Wetterling, mother of Jacob
"Know that there is life after this and you will get through it. Life will be different, but you will find peace, love, and fairness in the world again."
-Amy, sister of Jacob
"Jacob inspires me every day. He believed in a fair and just world, a world where all children know they are special and deserve to be safe. He believed that people were good. And that family was important. He was full of energy and life."
-Carmen, sister of Jacob
”You may have to educate your law enforcement agency on international parent child abduction (IPCA) cases. It is important to convey that IPCA actions are not a custodial dispute, but a federal crime.”
-Jeffery Morehouse, father of Atomu Imoto Morehouse, “Mochi”
"Life changes after your sibling is abducted. There is a new normal. You become a different person. There are still some parts of you that will never change. But you are different. Your life is a different life. You have to keep going. And you need to be the who that you are."
-Heather Bish, sister of Molly
”I remember standing in the middle of the chaos
and wishing I had a book to tell me what to do.”
-Colleen Nick, mother of Morgan