PRESS RELEASE

An Endless Nightmare – Launch of Informative Videos

#bringmehome

Laval, February 22, 2021 – In order to support families living with the disappearance of a loved one, as well as the professionals that accompany them, the Association des familles de personnes assassinées ou disparues (AFPAD), Missing Children’s Network (MCN) and Meurtres et disparitions irrésolus du Québec (MDIQ), will, as of February 23^rd, post online four (4) informative videos on their respective social media platforms.

Accompanied by experts in police matters, psychological support and media, seven families share their experience, explain the challenges encountered and offer advice to all those agonizing over the worst nightmare possible. The videos will be released over four consecutive days:

• The Disappearance and Search (Tuesday, February 23^rd);
• The Impacts on One’s Health (Wednesday, February 24^th);
• As the Years Go By (Thursday, February 25^th);
• Keeping Hope Alive (Friday, February 26^th).

HEARTFELT APPRECIATION TO ALL THE PARTICIPANTS

We would like to warmly thank all the professionals who shared their expertise and whose collaboration allowed us to gain greater insight and understanding of the realities of a disappearance on loved ones: Dr. Pascale Brillon, Psychologist, who offered sound advice and outlined the physical and mental hardships experienced by those suffering from the loss of a loved one; Yves Malo, former Lieutenant-Detective of Montreal Police who explained the role of investigators in cases involving a missing child or adult and Jean-François Guérin, reporter and TV host who spoke about the role of the media and the importance of communicating new information. A sincere thank you is extended to the families of Marilyn Bergeron, Mélissa Blais, Diane Carrier, Yohanna Cyr, David Fortin, Mélina Martin and Pinaskin Ottawa who generously shared their experience, courage and determination.

VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF CRIME WEEK

These videos were made possible thanks to a financial contribution by Justice Canada as part of Victims and Survivors of Crime Week. We underlined the courage and resilience of all those families living an endless nightmare following the disappearance of a loved one by first releasing in November a heart-tugging video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Rfn27ZX_tP0. We also created the hashtag #bringmehome that regroups posters and photographs of unresolved missing children and adult cases.

A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT

Founded in 1985, the Missing Children’s Network (MCN) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to assist parents in the search for their missing child, and to contribute, through public education, to reduce the occurrence of missing children in Quebec.

Association des familles de personnes assassinées ou disparues (AFPAD) is a non-profit organization that operates throughout Québec. Its mission is to break the isolation of victims’ families by offering various resources and tools to help them rebuild their lives.

The mission of Meurtres et disparitions irrésolus du Québec (MDIQ) is to gather families victims of unresolved homicides or disappearances in Quebec and offer visibility to their loved one and reactivate investigations allowing families to move forward.

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Pina Arcamone, Director General
Missing Children’s Network