ST. GEORGE, Utah, March 1, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Tracey Bratt-Smith and Darrin Smith had an unusual request for their daughter’s 20th birthday Tuesday.
They’re marking the day by asking friends to invite 20 others to like Utah Center for Missing Children Facebook page.Â
An unusual commemoration perhaps?
Not so much, when one considers their youngest child out of a brood of six has been missing six months as of March 1.
Macin Smith, 17, walked away from his home Tuesday, 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 fully disclosed.
Early indications were that Macin might have headed to Las Vegas, but that was never confirmed, and other possible sightings have not proved credible.
His family has worked tirelessly with professional search organizations and police to bring Macin home.
On the five month anniversary of his disappearance, his family announced a new flyer would be distributed that offers a $10,000 reward for his safe return.
Macin’s mom and other family members have posted Facebook updates in tribute to him almost every day to the 14,846 members of the Help Find Macin Smith page on Facebook.
Speaking to Gephardt Daily, Bratt-Smith said of the six-month anniversary: “It’s affecting me more than I anticipated. Trying to focus on the celebrations of life rather than the trials.”
On the Macin Smith Facebook page, she wrote Monday, in part:
Dear Macin’s Army:
Thank you for all of you who have shared the video compiled by Utah Center for Missing Children. It is a direct message from me to Macin. Last time I checked it had over 1,200 views but I am hoping a group of almost 15,000 may be able to do better with the sharing. The intent is to get it so well circulated that Macin can’t help but see it (Fingers crossed.) Please, please keep vigilant and let’s get this boy back to his family.
I want to celebrate my daughter’s 20th and focus solely on her tomorrow, however it does coincide with the 6 month anniversary of Macin’s disappearance. Half a year!!!!!!? Never would of anticipated that he wouldn’t be home by now. What a great birthday gift for his sister if you would share on her behalf and because she is turning 20, invite 20 friends to like Utah Center for Missing Children Facebook page.Â
I’m truly grateful for all of you who do not tire and continually keep up the search and prayers for Macin. Whenever I run out of steam, there seems to be one of Macin’s Army that has energy and hope to keep up the fight.
Kia Kaha (Stay Strong)
Love,
The Momma
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 in April 2015, 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 Red Rock Search and Rescue on 702-787-4068.
Click here to watch the first or second part of our previous interview with Macin’s parents, Tracey and Darrin, recorded in October.
Five comments as part of a single conversation I had with other members of the Help Find Macin Facebook page, that they didn’t like (concerning the possibility of Macin’s being gay) are considered SPAM by Traecy Bratt Smith. (Apparently she doesn’t know internet terminology.)
They subsequently blocked me because they apparently want to bury their heads in the sand and the Find Macin Page isn’t about finding Macin, it’s about making this family feel better about themselves and ignoring any reasons Macin might have wanted to run away and stay out of touch with his family for so long.
Here was her private comment to me, “Not cool that you spammed my missing boy’s facebook page. Stay away from my family.”
We all know there is something fishy going on here with the Smiths. It’s time to get to the bottom of Macin’s disappearance. Be that the actual reasons he’s abandoned his family, or worse foul play by one or both parents.
It seems we may be dealing with a family and even an entire community that’s intent on ignoring realities that are staring them right in the face.
you couldn’t be further from the truth and unless you’re law enforcement…you have no right to make conclusions or accusations about the Smith family. You are way out of line and way off base here.
I feel for this family. SO heartbreaking that there aren’t any answers. Praying for comfort and answers! God bless.
Glenn, just bc your gay does not mean Tracy dosent loves her son, or want him home any less. How would you know? She probably dosent even care. You shouldt post false accusations of a family re: “foul play” or “fishy.” You should be ashamed of yourself and thank God you don’t have a missing son. Oh, wait, your an atheist, so you have created your own destiny and environment. I think your rude, and maybe you should consider finding something more positive in your life, instead of shaming a hurting family. There are other people you can shame that deserve it, like sex predators or rapist. Go and give them attention so others can see them. I am not mormon either, but I would go crazy if my son was missing. Be human and have passion for others, love wins right?
In case you don’t recall, Macin RAN AWAY. And he presumably left a note about it (that nobody has been allowed to see).
Why should I have any sympathy for a family that would create a situation where their child would not only run away from home, but refuse to contact them in months? There is generally a serious reason why any child would do that.
Glen. Freedom of speech and expression does not give you the right to malign anyone. You have made some serious unfounded claims. Your thoughts and your feelings, to which you are entitled, should not be expressed on a news website, such as this. When you publish unsubstantiated hurtful claims, that is libel.
You apparently don’t know what ‘libel’ is.
Speculation about something is not it.
Spam Defined:
1.irrelevant or inappropriate messages sent on the Internet to a large number of recipients.
We are the one’s that created the page and dictate what’s appropriate. It is our family’s page. Unless you know us, you couldn’t possibly have all the facts to make an educated determination. Time will reveal what happened to Macin. We hope he is safe. We hope he is aware of how many love him.
Perhaps you ought to release the content of his letter to clear things up then.
By-the-way, you still don’t know what spam is.
I was conversing in a thread, about quite relevant topics concerning the circumstances of a run-a-way adolescent and the family of said person. The other thread participants dislike of what I had to say, does not make it Spam.
The page implies it’s a page about finding Macin. But it seems it’s more about making his family feel better than discussing real issues that might help lead to his being located, or his choosing to return or contact the family.
Glen, Your inability to have empathy is quite startling. The comments you have made are unjustified by even a morsel of truth or logic. You have an idea stuck in your mind, and you won’t let it go. You don’t know the Smith family. You don’t know Macin. You don’t know what has taken place in the investigation. Yet, you preach an idea, by pushing your political agenda and narrative of your own life. You point fingers of blame, rather than offering help. You don’t care if Macin’s found. You’re trying to cause contention by insinuating an unrealistic theory that has been addressed already! What is it to you? They want him found!! They want to know he’s safe!! If you have nothing of value to share, keep your evil, cyber-bullying comments to yourself. Find a way to bring meaning to your life, rather than hiding behind your computer screen and being a leech on others pain and suffering. Your cruelty is certainly not welcomed and will not be tolerated.
Complete and utter Tripe Julie.
I’m not preaching anything, or pushing any agenda (you sound like a deluded indoctrinated right-wing la-la-land loon with such ‘agenda’ speak).
Apparently I’m the only one here with something of value to share. I’ve broached subjects that I have NOT seen discussed on any post on the Help Find Macin Smith page, let alone addressed. If YOU and the others were actually concerned about Macin himself and finding him, you wouldn’t be trying to run away from and bury your heads in the sand when such speculations and possibilities are brought up. You’d want to discuss those things and help to determine if they have relevance to his running away, which could be quite valuable in finding him.
Macin has been missing for over 6 months now and yet his parents claim concern for his privacy in not releasing the 3 page letter he left. I don’t think so. At this point there is no reason to not release the contents of that letter. I suspect it wouldn’t reflect well on the parents or perhaps their religion (and I *know* the LDS church – having been affiliated with them at one time.)
I’m sorry if you consider dealing with harsh realities that might ‘hurt the feelings’ of the parents who’s son has run away from home as ‘cyber bullying’ and ‘evil’ but then again your type are quite adept at not only burying your heads in the sand, but wrongfully characterizing others.
I don’t give a damn if YOU consider my ‘cruelty’ (as you call it) unwelcome, I couldn’t care less about you and Macin’s deluded family (this is about Macin afterall isn’t it – he isn’t a child and HE has seen fit to stay out of contact with them) . And you are certainly going to have to tolerate it in any forum that you don’t have control over Julie. Like this one.
Glenn, just bc your gay does not mean Tracy dosent loves her son, or want him home any less. How would you know? She probably dosent even care. You shouldt post false accusations of a family re: “foul play” or “fishy.” You should be ashamed of yourself and thank God you don’t have a missing son. Oh, wait, your an atheist, so you have created your own destiny and environment. I think your rude, and maybe you should consider finding something more positive in your life, instead of shaming a hurting family. There are other people you can shame that deserve it, like sex predators or rapist. Go and give them attention so others can see them. I am not mormon either, but I would go crazy if my son was missing. Be human and have passion for others, love wins right?