Daniel Johnson - Missing. Do you have info?

VERY!!!! Maybe he went home.....

......<fingers crossed>........

 

We can only hope....its been going on for too long.

 

I went last night. He seems to have a large supportive family in the area who obviously love & miss him VERY much. As of last night, his family still didn't know where he was. My heart goes out to these folks. I hope he calls or comes home safely & soon.

 

THANK YOU Melynda, for finally letting us know how it went last night.

 

DANG IT!!!! Guess the crossed fingers didn't work!

Thank you so much for the info Melynda!!

 

How many people were there??

 

There was a good amount of people ... but I couldn't really take a guess. I'm sure it would have been great if the entire community showed up to show this Mom & family that we are concerned ... but it was a REALLY hot evening and I'm sure that many folks who weren't at the vigil are keeping an eye out for her child. I did see at least 1 church bus and the parking spaces all seemed to be filled. I did get to meet a couple of new 4042 faces ... Peppercorns & Daniel's family. They all seemed very nice. There was also a good band playing & lots of prayers to hopefully bring Daniel home ... or at least get him to call soon.


For me, it was one more opportunity to talk to my son about this situation. I've gotten on to him many times for less than perfect behavior. Just yesterday, he wasn't playing as nicely as I thought he should be at his buddy's house, so I made him come home shortly after we arrived to play. He thought I was just being mean. He was tired (which is no excuse for bad behavior) but rather than just act grumpy with the other kids ... I thought it was in his best interest to go home, before any of his buddies got grumpy back with him. I told him that when I reprimand him ... it's usually for his own good ... and I take no pleasure from it. I hate to have to get on to him at all. However, as a Mom, it's my job to do what I can to teach him the difference in right & wrong & to do what I can to keep him safe. Sometimes he may not like my decisions ... but I'm always looking out for him. I told him that there will probably be many times as he grows up that I'm going to tell him "No" or get on to him for something I don't agree with ... but I wanted him to look at the worry in the faces of Daniels family and understand how worried and hurt they are because they don't know where he is or whether he's safe of not. I may not always agree with everything my kids do ... but I'm always going to love them more than anything in the world. I'm sure there will be many trying times while my kids are growing up ... but I hope I never have to suffer through any situations as worrisome as the one facing Daniel's family right now.

All I heard from Daniels family is what a WONDERFUL kid he is. Apparently they think the world of him. I hope he will at least call soon so they will know he's ok.

 

well....IS no news...good news?

 

I would have liked to see more of his fellow classmates there! My son, peppercorns daughter, the student company commander of jrotc and last year's company commander were there. They took a bunch of flyers and spent a good part of this morning at walmart handing them out. There was also a reporter from the smithfield herald (I think) talking to people. He interviewed the 4 kids mentioned above that were in jrotc with Daniel. I know he asked them why they thought a teen would leave home. And since my son had personal experience in that department, he shared. Maybe the reporter will write a nice story that will spread the word of Daniel's disappearance and give another teen 2nd thoughts before leaving home.

 

Thanks for everyone's help! The vigil went very well. Still no TV news coverage, but a reporter from the Smithfield Herald was there. The Cleveland Post will also be running a story in this week's edition. I'm so hoping it will attract some attention and somehow word will make it's way to Daniel.

Turn-out was modest... mostly friends and family and a few folks from here on 4042.com, but as hot as it was, I'm was surprised we had as many as we did. It was really very nice and everyone was so supportive. My oldest son's church youth group came and their band played a few songs. A few of the members of Daniels JROTC were also there and keeping their eyes and ears open for news of Daniel.

Everyone took copies of the flier with them to post in area businesses or even in their car windows and we raised another $100 for the reward.

My apologies for not writing with an update sooner. I'll probably be absent from the 4042 site for at least the rest of the week. My oldest is graduating Thursday, so I'm trying to focus on that this week.

Thanks again for everyone's help and support!

 

Wouldn't it be nice if he were to show up at the graduation ceremony?

 

That would be nice Also, Father's Day is coming up. A call, visit, or Daniel's return home would probably be a wonderful gift for Daniel's Dad.

 

All of that would be nice.

Remember Daniel, a parent's love is UNCONDITIONAL. You will be welcomed home.

 

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! Any time, honey. No questions. No consequences. At the moment, I'd settle for just putting my eyes on you. Even if you choose not to come home, just call me, show up for Chris' graduation, come to Church on Sunday and hug your father. I just need to hear your voice and see your face and know with my own eyes and ears that you're O.K.!!

I LOVE YOU!!!!!

 

:cry: & :grouphug: :grouphug:

 

What do you all think HE is thinking? Do you think he is planning on staying away forever? Is he waiting for something? Since it's been over a month, I've been trying to put myself in his shoes ... trying to figure out what's KEEPING him away. By now, even if it was hatred (I'm sorry for the harsh word), that should have abated. Embarrassment and humiliation ... may still be there, since it's still such an intense subject in our community.

 

For me... it was pride. And after a month or two of freedom - no rules, no curfew, etc. - what teen wants to go back home? No matter how hard it gets, it's impossible to think about going back to a life where you have to ask permission to go somewhere or come home late. And there's little thought of the long term consequences of those choices.

 

Freedom doesn't really exist - unless you were born with a Silver Spoon/ unlimited funds. Teens who choose to leave home because they don't want to follow household rules, often end up with a much more restricted lifestyle ... tougher living conditions, less spending money, less free time ... and a ton of rules and curfew's resulting from the work schedule they will have to learn to live with. Playing grown up usually comes with lots of bills & responsibilities. Usually family members are the only folks who love you enough to let you live there for free. Parents actually care if you need to have time to do your homework & participate in school activities ... bosses aren't always that reasonable. Parents will usually pay the dental & doctor bills when you are sick ... while your buddies may just avoid you so they don't catch whatever you have. Parents want to see their kids grow up safe and happy. Parents aren't usually trying to be party poopers by setting rules & guidelines. Parents are just doing what they can to ensure their kids have are safe & have bright futures.

Heck, if a kid wants a few years of freedom from parents ... they should spend less time partying in highschool & lots more time studying. That way they can earn scholarships & have their pick of colleges. The college years give kids time to spread there wings & improve their resumes. Highschool seems sooo important when you're there ... but really its just a tiny moment in time. So often kids seem to think that highschool is what defines them ... you know the type ... the pretty, popular girl ... who thinks her looks are more important than her education ... or the jock who may be above average on the HIGHSCHOOL football field - but he's a failure in class where it really counts . The folks who seem to have the brightest futures are those who realize that highschool is just a blip of time. In years to come, 4 years will flash in the blink of an eye. Who you become is far more important than who you slept with, what party you got invited to, how much your jeans cost, or how pretty/handsome you are. Physical beauty is temporary. The popularity kids spend their highschool years trying to develop ... usually evaporates as soon as they leave the graduation ceremony. Your intelligence, your values, your honesty, your judgment, your skills .... these are the type of things that will help form your future.

I remember friends & boyfriends in highschool. I remember thinking I would just "die" if I didn't get to see them or spend time with them. I remember being certain that I would keep in touch with those folks forever. I remember thinking I'd never recover from the breakup with my 1st boyfriend. It's so funny how teens seem to believe the world revolves around the individuals they meet in highschool. It's really not until after graduation that many realize there is an entire world of new faces, friends & opportunities. I do keep in touch with a few close friends from highschool. We talk on the phone sometimes, send emails and trade pictures of kids. However, when the holidays come up ... I'd much rather go back home to see my family, rather than just to visit old friends. I call my mother a few times a week ... while the friends that I thought were sooo important in highschool may hear from me only a few times a year.

I have a sister who had major issues with following house rules when we were growing up. She always thought her friends cared for her more than family did. She always said her friends never judged her and they never told her "No". Somehow, she believed that her friends were the only folks concerned about her happiness. I wonder where those friends are now???? The entire family was relieved when my sister managed to graduate from highschool. However, soon after graduation, my mother forbid her to date this guy who was a few years older with a prison record. My sister decided that my mother was being unfair so she decided to leave town with the only person who "Really" cared for her happiness. Unfortunately, she never realized the only reason this guy was even with her was that she was cute & she had a truck that my parents purchased. A couple of months later, my sister ended up calling my Mom from a crack house in Florida. My sister wanted my Mom to send her some money & the title to her truck. Neither my sister or her boyfriend had worked since arriving in Florida. They had been living off petty crime & drugs. They were homeless & hungry. My Mom wouldn't send money or the truck title ... but she did pick my sister up and bring her back home. My sister was in pitiful condition. She & her "boyfriend" hadn't eaten in a couple of days. They had traded their jewlry, shoes & coats for drugs. My sister only weighed 80 lbs ... and she was 3 months pregnant. She refused to leave Florida unless my Mom would agree to bring the "boyfriend" back to SC also. The wonderful guy that my sister loved enough to desert her family, ended up getting one of my sisters best "friends" pregnant withing a couple of weeks of returning to SC. He ended up being arrested for auto theft, robbing houses, and steaing income tax checks before either of these girls gave birth. Did I mention that none of her "friends" were around to pay the doctor bills, change diapers or help in any other way. My sister decided that taking care of a child was far more limiting to her social life than my parent's rules were. She left her son with our family and moved in with her new boyfriends family. The boyfriends Mom was "fun". She bought them beer and liked to party with them. Even today ... almost 20 years later ... this woman is still hanging with the new batch of teens ... who seem to outgrow her once they've reached the age where they can buy their own beer. In anycase, during my sister's stay with them ... my sister was the only person in the house with a job. One night the boyfriend asked if he & a buddy could drive the truck while she was working. When she got in the truck later to drive home, she literally was shocked when she reached to turn on the radio. The boys had traded her radio for crack and just left raw wires hanging from where the radio used to be. Although my sister had her freedom from my Mom's rules ... she often didn't have electricity, she could no longer spend hours on the phone ... because they couldn't pay the bill ... and she didn't have time to "party" with the boyfriend & his Mom because my sister was always at work. My sister met a nicer guy at work ... who actually had a job. She ended up getting pregnant again. Once again, she decided that kids & family life were too restrictive to her social life. Her younger son now lives in another state with his father. My sister's friends came & went throughout her life. Usually when she was working ... she had plenty of friends to share in what little money she made at the low paying jobs. Because of lack of education & her poor work history, the jobs that will actually hire her aren't really jobs I'd care to do. My sister is now 36 years old. She has two highschool aged kids who have little respect for her. She has been diagnosed with a couple of mental conditions directly resulting from years of using crack, meth, alcohol and the numerous other drugs. She is mentally unable to care for herself. Her friends are long gone. Those highschool friends who straightened out their lives are ashamed to admit they once hung out with her ... some of the other ones are in the same shape shes in or worse. My sister does work at various low paying jobs off & on... usually competing with the teenagers for employment. She lives with my Mother, has a curfew and has to take drug test every week. If she doesn't follow my Mother's rules ... then she will have to return to the half-way house she was living in not so long ago. My sister is only 1 year younger than I am - but she'll be living the life of a teenager forever. In highschool she was beautiful, popular & fun to be around. She could have gone anywhere or been anything. Instead, she was a rebel who was bound & determined that rules shouldn't apply to her. Highschool was the highlight of her live. It was all down hill from there. She finally realized why my Mom tried to force her to stay away from some of her "friends". She finally understands why Mom didn't think it was a good idea for her to spend her evenings out partying, drinking & doing drugs. She finally realized that my Mother wasn't judging her ... she was just trying to keep her safe. My sister has finally learned that friends come & go ... but family is forever.

 

Ah there's the old Melynda we all know and love (referring to the long post, ya know):lol:

 

I was thinking the same thing... sorry Melynda.. you lost my interest after the first paragraph.... :?