This story will have a happy ending.
As many of you know a few days ago I came back from the joyous celebrating of my son’s 10th birthday to the horrible news that my 16-year-old niece, Megan Cherry, was on the missing persons list, listed as an endangered runaway down in Texas.
Her family, friends, local police and the FBI were searching frantically for her but with absolutely no results. As you can appreciate the whole family was worried sick, all sorts of terrible things going through their mind. This was so out of character for Megan, who was a talented teenager showing a world of promise.
Soon as I heard the sad news, I wrote a blog asking for the transportation industry’s help in looking for Megan.
Well, earlier tonight I received the news we have all been praying for. Megan was found and she is safe.
I want to thank all the transportation professionals who e-mailed me with their support and the many others who offered to help by posting my blog on their Facebook page. Our whole family has been so touched by your kindness in this most difficult of times.
For Megan and her family, the next few weeks will I’m sure involve the important processes of acceptance, forgiveness, reconnecting and emotional growth.
But although this particular chapter in Megan’s story has that happy ending we had all been praying for, I don’t want this story to end here. What happened to Megan and her family has brought the plight of parents whose children have gone missing into much sharper focus for me. It has also reasserted my belief that the transportation industry can have a very positive role to play in helping find missing children.
Over the next few weeks I will be looking into how this Web site and our publications can help raise awareness about missing children and use the “eyes and ears” of our transportation professionals to create more happy endings.
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Excellent News! We’re glad for your family.
I agree, its a realtively untapped network. Go for it!
Wonderful ending to a traumatic ordeal. Over the years the trucking industry has used many ways to help families in this situation. This definatelly shows that truck drivers( even though they are to be percieved as being heartless) are very soft herted and concerned with the wellbeing of families. In the past the industry has faces of missing children on their trailers, missing children posters @ truck stops and various other meens to get the message out and have truck drivers successfully help find missing childern. Keep up the good work. Amber allert should be a great asset to this cause. Go for it!!
Let’s not sanitize the truth — an army was mobilized to look for a missing child that turned out to be a rebellious teenager.
http://www.courier-gazette.com/articles/2009/02/19/allen_american/news/24.txt
Allen detectives are determining whether they will file charges on a 16-year-old runaway who was found about 300 miles away in San Angelo.
Megan Cherry reportedly stole the family vehicle in early February and disappeared. A Department of Public Safety officer initiated a traffic stop for a speeding violation and once the tags were run the vehicle was reported stolen and she was arrested Wednesday afternoon.
“The car was reported stolen and she was listed as a runaway,” said Gerald Marshall, Allen police spokesman. “She is in custody in San Angelo and could possibly be facing charges for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.”
Marshall said police will transport Cherry to the Allen juvenile holding facility today. Detectives will interview both the parents and the teenager to determine whether the felony charge will be filed. If the charge is filed, police will transport Cherry to the Collin County Juvenile Detention Center.
Allen police believe Cherry ran away due to a verbal disagreement with her parents.
Marshall said they dropped her off at school on Feb. 6 and teachers reported she never went to class.
“We are happy she is fine and doing well,” Marshall said. “We are happy she is safe.”
Stephanie – who is sanitizing the truth?
Mr. Smyrlis said she was considered a runaway, her behaviour had been troubling and she had fallen in with the wrong crowd.
Does this mean people shouldn’t look for her?
Was she not still in danger?
Shouldn’t she get the chance to come home, yes, pay for her bad judgement, learn a hard lesson, and then move on, grow up — much like many of us (perhaps even you)?
People should remember that we were all young once, and most did not have to pay the full, harshest price for all of our bad decisions. Someone helped, listened, gave us a break.
I can think of many teens who payed the ultimate price for a bad choice in the heat of the moment, and I am delighted for Mr. Smyrlis and his family that his young neice was not one of these statistics, thanks to the mobilization of an army.
hi
We BGI Worldwide logistics glad to hear, “the trucking industry has used many ways to help families in this situation”. i would like to know more about Amber Alert Program. Can anybody explain in detail.
Robort R
BGI Worldwide Logistics
Lou,
I am very pleased to hear that your family has had a happy resolution!
The Erb Group of Companies has been a part of the Amber Alert Program for awhile now, since we received a letter from the 13 year old daughter of one of our Driver Trainers: she suggested that we could help, as the eyes and ears on the road – and we agreed with her.
Now, when an Amber Alert is required, Bell Mobility emails the information to us and we then transmit the details of the alert to all of our trucks via satellite.
It will cost our company some money in satellite messaging to participate in the Amber Alert but as you can well appreciate, especially now, the rewards can be priceless when a child is found.
I would urge all trucking companies to contact the Amber Alert Program and find out how their fleet can participate.
All the best,
Patty Attwell
Director of Corporate Communications
The Erb Group of Companies