Dozens of families who are searching for their missing loved ones came together Friday for Florida Missing Adult Day. The annual event hosted by the Justice Coalition and the John Rowan Jr. Foundation brings comfort to these mourning family members.
The event included a song performed by John Rowan -- a cry to bring home his son missing for 15 years.
John Rowan Jr. disappeared in 2001 after leaving for work one day. He was 34.
His mother, Peg Rowan, has not given up hope they'll learn what happened.
"I'll be honest. I'm up nearly every night praying to John and talking to John, looking for answers, hoping he'll come and tell me where he is," she said. "I just want to find him and lay him to rest."
She shares the same grief as Angie Campbell, whose nephew Mark Degner and his friend Bryan Hayes disappeared in 2005.
"For the family of someone who has been missing for 11 years, it's just like Day 1," Campbell said. "You wake up every day hoping that you can bring awareness, that you can find someone that has information and will come forward."
Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams, officers from five other counties including and other leaders joined the families as they remembered Yvonne Belcher, Ricky Caldwell, George Contos, Austin Davis, Rosemary Day, Mark Degner, Michelle Ennis, Michael Frazier, Bryan Hayes, Joshua Smith and John Rowan Jr., among others.
Ann Dugger, director of the Justice Coalition, said its important to set aside a day for these families to come together, because the pain never goes away.
"When they go to bed at night, it's the traumatizing fear of not knowing," Dugger said. "Are they being abused? Are they hungry? Cold? Are they somewhere trying to get in touch with us and can't reach us?"
With photos of their missing loved ones on display, the families held on to each other for support, wiping away tears, hugging and praying.
This is a remembrance," Campbell said. "Yes, these people are still missing. Keep looking. If you know anything, contact authorities. Let them know. End somebody's suffering."
If you know anything about the whereabouts of any of these missing people, please contact your nearest sheriff's office and bring these people home.