It has been 12 days since Grandpa disappeared. Unfortunately, I don't really have any new evidence to share with you today. However, if Grandpa's disappearance is a cloud, then the silver lining has got to be all the amazing people, most of them complete strangers with no obligation to act, that have gone to great lengths to help us search for him.
One kind stranger, who requested to remain anonymous, went out of her way to write a wonderfully detailed letter to me describing the terrain in the area where Grandpa's truck was found. When she found out I hadn't seen photos of the area yet, she went back and took some fantastic photos and sent them to me. (Some will be posted here soon.)
A lot of people I have met online have helped me by grabbing Grandpa's photo and/or story and passing it forward on blogs, twitter, digg, or anything else they can think of to spread the word. Today my mom spoke with the detective investigating Grandpa's case. He said leads and possible Grandpa sightings are coming in from all over the country, so whatever we are doing to get Grandpa's story out there is working. My hat goes off to all these good people that have taken some time to help me scatter Grandpa's story all over the internet. (The traffic on this site has increased by 200-300% since I started posting info about Grandpa.) Unfortunately none of the tips have yet panned out, but I have a lot of faith that sooner or later, one of those calls will be the key we need to find Grandpa and bring him home.
Not all of the good Samaritans are strangers. This blog has become something of a gathering place for my extended family that is scattered all across the country. They have been watching here for updates as we search for Grandpa. A quick google search for "Jack Lee Howe" will lead you to this blog. Consequently some long lost cousins and other family members that we lost touch with years ago have found me and started correspondence. They have also sent photos (I will posting some of those, too) of the stretch of US Highway 81 where the Oklahoma Highway Patrol found Grandpa's truck, and recommended local newspapers that might print the story. Their kind support and actions have been overwhelmingly appreciated and helpful.
Finally, the media is playing a crucial role in helping us find him. Newspapers are printing his story and photo and KAKE TV in Wichita, KS has aired a couple of stories about Grandpa. We captured this footage from the KAKE TV web site. It aired on Monday, August 11 at 6pm.
I feel confident that the Good Samaritan Factor, along with the diligent efforts of law enforcement will be what brings Grandpa home. I would give every one of them a hug and a kiss of thanks if I could, but for today a huge "Thank You!" on this blog will have to do. We aren't giving up, and obviously neither are you.
THANK YOU!
i have been keeping up with your grandpas dissaperance.I used to live in wellington,ks but moved to Tennessee alittle over 6 years ago.I hope your grandpa comes home safely.Know you have someone in tennessee that will help in anyway.God Bless you and your family.
And May grandpa return home safely.
Danny
