ST. GEORGE, Utah, Dec. 31, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) — St. George teenager Macin Smith has been missing for four months Friday.
This is what we know: the 17-year-old walked away from his home Sept. 1 when his parents thought he was on his way to school. He left behind his cell phone, wallet and laptop. He did leave a note, which his parents discovered a week later, but its contents have never been made public.
Macin has not been heard from since. Early indications were that he might have headed to Las Vegas, but there have been no confirmed sightings. Extensive searches by professional organizations have turned up nothing, and a $1,000 reward offered for credible information remains unclaimed.
Those in the know say it’s rather like Macin simply disappeared into thin air.
And while others may have buckled under the extreme duress of having a missing loved one, Macin’s mother Tracey Bratt-Smith remains resolute and focused on the future.
Bratt-Smith, speaking exclusively to Gephardt Daily, said she will never give up up hope that her son will return safe and sound.
“My belief is just because we didn’t find Macin in 2015 doesn’t mean we won’t find him in 2016,” Bratt-Smith said. “I have faith that in the coming year we will have more answers, and that Macin will find his way back home. He is missed just as much today as he was on September 1.
“Macin has friends he needs to meet that he never knew he had… what gets the family through is that faith and hope that what we are experiencing is only temporary. What gets us through is the support of friends and loved ones. Our lives have been altered for four months, but this is not our forever.
“The holidays were hard ─ very hard, but I was surrounded by my children and grandchildren. Now that they have all returned to their homes, this is where the next hurdle comes. We will be aggressively resuming the search for our boy starting in January, perhaps enlisting some fresh ideas and people to the team to consult with.”
Bratt-Smith’s statements come just days after the release of a new flier, by Red Rock Search and Rescue (RRSAR) in Las Vegas, showing what Macin might look like after a few months living on his own.
Macin is 6-feet-4-inches and 200 pounds. He has light blue eyes, and he had short blond hair when he went missing.
The Smith family moved to St. George from Canada earlier this year, and Macin had been their last child living at home.
Anyone with information on Macin should contact the St. George Police Department at 435-627-4300, or David Cummings at RRSAR on 702-787-4068.
Click here to watch the first or second part of our exclusive interview with Macin’s parents, Tracey and Darrin.
What does his letter Say?