When Luke went missing 13 years ago this month, it was an ordinary weekday.

There was nothing to suggest the devastation that would follow when my 19 year old son became one of the thousands of children and young people who go missing every year.

We were living in a rural village at that time and on the Thursday night Luke was going out with friends, primarily his mate who was training to be a chef in London. I knew Luke was staying with him so I was not expecting to see him for a couple of days.

We were a family who always kept in touch, letting each other know where we were. On the Friday evening I was going out myself, which was quite a rare event, and staying at a friend’s house, so I let both my son and daughter Alicia know what was happening. Luke’s phone went to voicemail, but that did not alarm me at that point.

It was on Saturday, when Luke did not turn up for his job, that I started to really get concerned. Alicia came home and said she thought there was something not right with Luke.

I kept thinking, ‘am I over-dramatising this?’, but as I called all his friends and drew a blank regarding Luke’s whereabouts, it became more apparent that something unusual was going on.

We know now that Luke made every effort that he could to get home but he didn’t have any money. He was seen on CCTV at the bus station and the taxi rank, and the last sighting of him was walking through Ipswich at 3am on the Friday. His friends had last seen him on the Thursday night in Woodbridge.

I called Luke’s work, he hadn’t turned up​. I then called the hospital and asked if a young man had been brought in unconscious. I thought there would be an explanation. When the hospital said no, I looked at my daughter and said that I was going to report Luke missing to the police.

Thirteen years to the day I reported Luke missing and we are no further forward in knowing what has happened to him.

The police came out to us quickly. I kept thinking about where I was wasting police time but they immediately took it seriously.

The next day, Sunday, was one of the worst days of my life, and a defining moment. On the Saturday I still thought Luke was coming home. On Sunday the police let us know that they were going to sweep the river near a nightclub called Zest – at that point the last known place Luke had been seen. It suddenly became terrifyingly apparent that Luke may not be alive.

For the next five years I would wake up every day and think: ‘It is going to be today that I’m going to get the knock on the door.’ I do not think that now; now I just take each day as it comes. Over the years I have learnt to compartmentalise my feelings and emotions.

But it is hard. Thirteen years to the day I reported Luke missing and we are no further forward in knowing what has happened to him.

My family and I have had some amazing people help us along the way, without their kindness and support I don’t know where we would be now.

I believe there is someone out there who knows what happened to Luke that night. If that person is reading this, I would beg them to call the police or the charity Missing People. They could stop some of the pain that me and my family have to endure on a daily basis, it is relentless.

Sometimes I panic that Luke is going to be forgotten. I can’t thank people enough for continuing to remember Luke and keep word of his disappearance alive.

Before Luke went missing, I would never in my wildest dreams imagine any child just vanishing off the face of the earth. I’ve learnt a lot since then.

Disappearance is as indiscriminate as cancer. I would urge any parent who thinks their child – no matter what their age – is missing to report them to the police, time is crucial.

If the police don’t take it seriously be persistent, you know your child better than anyone. Also, I’d encourage any person with a missing loved one to contact the charity Missing People, not only do their amazing staff provide practical help, they also provide much needed emotional support.

I will never stop searching for Luke. He is loved and missed every day.

If you have a missing loved one, are away from home yourself, or have information about a missing person, please call the Missing People charity confidentially on 116 000. 

Source: Read Full Article