Missing But Never Forgotten

Veronica Frear, whose son Craig has been missing six years, left, and Stacy Herron, whose sister-in-law Audrey has been missing eight years, right, attend a ceremony during Missing Person's Day on Saturday, April 9, 2011, in Albany, N.Y.

Missing But Never Forgotten
In Albany, relatives reflect on those lost and seek solace, energy, support from others

ALBANY -- The 10th annual New York State Missing Persons Day was an opportunity to remember those who are missing and to find new strength to push ahead.

Whether they were attending their first gathering at the State Museum or had made it every year, participants walked energized and reflective.

"As you learn about this, you realize how many people are missing. It's stunning," said Tina Hamilton of Coeymans Hollow, who was at Saturday's event for the first time.

"You are energized," said Jim Viola of Bogota, N.J., who has attended every year.

Viola's wife, Patricia Viola, went missing Feb. 13, 2001. He's worked closely with Doug and Mary Lyall, who run the Center for Hope and the Missing Persons Day.

Hamilton came to the event after volunteering with her husband, Tom Hamilton, in the efforts to raise awareness and find Audrey May Herron, who disappeared Aug. 29, 2002, while on her way home from Catskill to Freehold.

Hamilton and Viola were among 125 people who attended the afternoon speeches and ceremony to remember the nearly 4,000 people missing in New York state and the 85,000 missing nationwide.

April 6 is the official state Missing Persons Day. It's also the birthday of Suzanne Lyall, who disappeared March 2, 1998, when she was last seen exiting a CDTA bus at the state University at Albany campus after finishing work at Crossgates Mall.

Doug and Mary Lyall of Milton have worked tirelessly to help others with missing relatives. Suzanne would now be 33 years old.

"As we light this candle, may this candle light the way home," Mary Lyall said as she and Marie Murphy lit a candle of hope in the State Museum's Huxley Theater. The candle was surrounded by photos of missing loved ones and T-shirts printed to further the causes of finding them.

Doug Lyall said the sting of having a missing family member is not going to go away. But, he said, it is important to assist others and to resolve to not give up.

The Lyalls presented the Center for Hope's Hope Recognition Award to Frank Williams, chairman of the Ride for Missing Children, of Utica.

"It was 19 years ago today that I became the father of a missing child," Williams said recalling April 9, 1992, when his daughter ran away.

"I was one of the lucky ones," Williams said. "Our three-year journey ended with the return of our missing child."

Since then, Williams has worked to aid other families nationwide dealing with the disappearance of a family member. He assists families with the various aspects of finding the missing family member.