Fort Pierce, Florida

Getting from Tampa to Fort Pierce on time was quite the feat!!
Teresa Holiday hosted the event in memory of her late husband Nick who had been missing for two months in early 2010. She did a wonderful job. She spoke with a shaky yet determined voice.. She's one of us now.. It's been over a year since her husband was recovered but once you join our group you become a lifer. She organized the event to bring awareness to other missing persons in her area. As she invited each family to come up and speak she seemed to know instantly whether she should remain next to them for support or whether they would be OK to speak alone.
Emillie Hoyt was 23 years old when she went missing from Highland Beach in 2006. Her family lives out of state which makes things that much more difficult. They were unable to attend and sent a letter that Teresa read. Emillie was living with a boyfriend when her family stopped receiving phone calls from her...the boyfriend told them that he had kicked her out. When her family called the police they refused to take a missing persons report. They told her family that there was no evidence that she was missing. It was years before they agreed to list her as missing. It really makes you wonder how many cases like that are out there? How many people disappear without anyone noticing?
Richard Borrack, 77, went missing from Jensen Beach in July 2010. He had taken off his GPS tracking device and walked out of the assisted living facility that he resided in. He suffers from short term memory loss and had done this before. Previous to this time though, he had always been quickly located. His daughters attended the rally to spread the word about his case. They appeared "fresh".
A friend of Kelly Rothwell was at the event. We had just left Kelly's rally that morning. Also, the brother of Gail Palmgren, who we had attended a rally for days earlier in Tennessee.
Donajean, Dori Ann Myers sister also spoke. Dori was 43 years old when she opened her home to what she thought were two military men in need of a warm bed. She went missing in 2006 from Vero Beach. Her home had been set on fire and gutted. Hr car was eventually found 80 miles away, also burned. I've been familiar with this case since Matt went missing, which sometimes seems like a lifetime ago. It's been too long not to have answers, to not know what happened to someone you love..to live day in and day out waiting...
Tony DiFrancesco pleaded with the crowd for any information about his missing brother Patrick. Patrick went missing in 1985 from Fort Pierce. He was 24 years old. Tony feels that there are people out there who know where his brother is buried. This is an old case with a chance for resolution after 25 years. CUE is currently involved in an ongoing forensic dig. Tony seemed "fresh", at first I didn't understand...it's been 26 years...but I guess that with the chance of finding him so close at hand, old wounds have been reopened.
The program ended with the crowd casting flowers into the Intercoastal. I felt overwhelmed leaving. There was a lot packed into this stop. This is my backyard...my mom came to show her support. I was glad she got to witness a snapshot of what I've been doing over the last week. I didn't get to spend much time with her but I had warned her that it would be like that...chop, chop....off to Jacksonville....
Elisa

Road Tour Rookie

As the tour rounds the corner to the finale, it's a bittersweet feeling. I'm glad I'm going to see Scott waiting there for me and the rest of the family when I return home. Could I have went on for another week, without a doubt "YES"! The experience has been inspiring, emotional and unforgettable. At every stop I was amazed at the time and efforts of the family and friends, so much work, to bring light to their missing loved one. You witness their strong side for a brief moment before they start to speak or hold a poster of their missing loved one. It's been an honor to be part of this,somehing I will carry with me the rest of my life, hoping to take this adventure, journey again. To the National Road Tour Crew of 2011, Monica, Harlen, Kenny, and Elisa, thank you for the friendship, love and all the fun. I love you all!!!
Angie

Tampa, Florida

Hello Florida! The rally stop for Kelly Rothwell was held on the Courtney Campbell Causeway. The water made for a beautiful backdrop. Kelly has been missing since March 2011. A fresh case..the raw emotions of her friends was clearly evident in all the speeches, in the music..Kelly's best friend Donna arranged for a butterfly release. Another first on this tour. Watching the butterflies leaving the containers lightened the mood, laughter permeated the crowd. Some of the butterflies refused to leave the group landing on us for long periods of time, having to be encouraged to take flight. Afterwards, flowers were tossed over the rocks and into the water.
The closeness between Monica and this case was evident. CUE has been hard at work to bring Kelly home.Hopefully before this group learns the ropes as well as others...before it becomes a cold case..It was one of those days when we did not have a moment to spare. Our itinerary allowed no leeway but it was still difficult to leave.
Elisa

Road Tour Rookie

As we have stopped at Rally's in so many different states, I've seen how easy it is for a missing persons case to fall between the cracks, to be only spoken about between family and friends. So many families of a missing loved one hearing of the Rally Stop, show up clutching their missing loved ones picture close to their hearts, hoping for help. It's getting easier to pick them out without seeing their picture, it's the look of help, the standing off to the side as if waiting for someone to notice and make the first move. They look so helpless,lost, scared. They need help but their voices aren't loud enough, their fight not strong enough. You notice a change in them, the longer they listen to other stories, they don't seen as scared, it's as if you lost your voice but it's returned. One by one they filter closer to the strong ones and before we pull away heading to our next stop, they've spoke in front of a crowd about their loved one, they seem taller, stronger, ready to fight for their missing loved one. I ask myself over and over, especially when it's a child around my children's age or my grandchildren, could I be strong, could I move forward, would I be able to fight to get the much needed help and answers I deserve? Would I be like some who just sit there in a daze unable to do anything, I can't answer those questions. I don't think anyone can that has not walked the path of having a missing loved one.
Angie

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

As we drove to Louisiana I asked Monica why she had picked Troy Marks to be the "honoree" of this year's tour, and while the answer made perfect sense...she picked a case that she felt needed the most media exposure..it wasn't the answer I was expecting. My logical side thought it would be logistics, the middle of the route; and my emotional side thought it would be a family that had most touched her heart. But it was Monica and this is an awareness tour.

Troy's boys were full of smiles and waiting for us in the parking lot. They seemed so grown up (they looked to be about 8 and 10), as they led us into the church. A projector was playing images of the Marks' family. There were assembled missing persons posters, and a table dedicated to photos and albums of Troy. A lot of people were there, I was taken back by the amount of children. Ashley, Troy's wife, came over wanting Road Tour T Shirts for her boys and herself. They immediately changed into them before the rally began. Ashley ran what seemed to be a very thought out and organized program. As she spoke of her husband, her family's journey, one that began with her husband's disappearance in 2006, you could see how far she had come. She spoke of no longer running every time the phone rings or rushing to return every missed call. She spoke of attempting to make a life for her boys, with her boys, one devoid of their much loved father. Troy Jr rose to speak. He told about how his friends talk about their fathers. When he is asked, "What is your dad like", he can only say that he doesn't know..Ashley then introduced the the families of 2 other local missing persons. We heard the stories of Shane Fell, a 36 year old man who disappeared in June 2011, and Sylviane Lozado, a foreign language teacher who vanished in July 2011. Sylviane's husband has taken her toddler and left the country. The difference between Ashley's composure and the others was apparent. Fresh vs longterm... A process no family should live through...As the program ended we were led outside for a balloon release. It was then that I realized that a lot of the children present were student's from the school Sylviane taught at.
Along with the balloons were Chinese lanterns. The area quickly filled with many attempting to light these. Watching as each one rose and flew away, the flames visible underneath, was exceptionally moving. We attempted a group picture on the a bridge, but I could not capture such a large group in one shot one my cell camera.
As I went back into the church to pack up I came across 4 individuals gathered on the stage, a photo album of Troy opened up in front of them. They were quietly sitting around, reminiscing, telling stories about Troy and sharing memories. They were smiling...
As we were leaving Troy's two sons presented Monica with a gift basket of Baton Rouge delicacies. Once again exhibiting a maturity beyond their years. As they posed for one last picture, in front of our banner on our tour bus, they all pointed to a picture of Troy and posed for the camera. At one point as we were snapping their images Troy Jr said, "Please take another one, I wasn't smiling yet"....
And this family's missing loved one is somehow less worthy of our attention..?...
Elisa

Vidor Rally Stop

I was excited to come to this rally stop as I love seeing my longtime friend DeDe, she has know me and everyone at the CUE Center for many years and has always provided us with her support but most importantly her prayers. You see she is one of those people you meet and her devotion to the cause is crystal clear, love. I appreciate that in her, and if no one else ever does, I know that lady prays for me, no doubt in that ever! Her stop was nothing short of amazing...all the press was there to aid in getting our message out about the missing, law officials in full color, the mayor, a pastor sent up prayer and if you were of another faith, that was okay, she had a priest there to take up the rear. A law officer shared a touching story of a long time missing teen, her mother was on hand to witness the facts and to support the police and our efforts, it was really nice. DeDe presented me with a certificate and shared kind words, I will cherish it all. I was so proud of her stop...she wanted everything just right and it showed, she also sometimes is a little protective of me and worries about me...lol, so she packed us up enough food and goodies to take with us, we did not have to stop for lunch that day..it was greatly needed too as our timed tour schedule does not always allow us to stop and eat between stops. We had a good visit, that's how she makes you feel, like you came to visit her, even though I may not say it enough, I admire her work and her love for Christ. As we let go of the balloons I thought to myself this will be a great day, it started
off with a sense of peace, I felt hopeful.
Monica

Hudson Rally Stop

We arrived in the dark to the stop for Hope Meeks, kind of fitting for a case left in the dark for so long, I think we need a new tip, I know she has great law officials on her case...but we all need a break. We have searched for her recently and I find myself reflecting on that a lot. The chapter domestic violence organization was there in support, the Towns Mayor, etc. It was simple but heart felt. We brought light to the night by our candle light...I found the chapter was very informative and were good speakers, you see it is domestic violence month and they are on their own campaign for awareness as well, so I felt we helped with getting their message out this year. It really was then that I realized several female cases we were featuring on this years tour were victims of domestic violence, sometimes I wonder later when the tour is over if God did not have a hand in the route and case line to even better help, who could know. I always find myself feeling protective over Hopes case and loved ones as they do not live where she became missing and sometimes the distance makes a case even more of a struggle. Hopes family relies on us and investigators heavily to keep this case moving and out front. The thing that resonates most in this case to me is how each generation of a missing person grows up with long term cases and the next generation without knowing is being prepared to take the journey over to find their missing loved one, it should not be this way.
Monica