One of your biggest fears as a parent is if something bad would happen to your children. It could be anything from getting hurt in kindergarten to contracting a serious and life threatening disease.
The parents of 14-year-old Emily Paul had to go through something extraordinary.
In 2013, Emily suddenly vanished from her home in Florida. Police tried finding her, but despite huge efforts, she disappeared without a trace. It wasn’t until five years later her mom randomly received a letter. It was from Emily.
When Emily disappeared in 2013, her family was in shock.
She vanished without a trace and no one could find her.
Cops in Florida quickly got on the case. Days became weeks, weeks became months, and months became years.
The family started to lose faith in ever getting to see their beloved girl again. But everything changed five years later.
The police in Bay County, Florida suddenly got a call from Emily’s family, according to ABC News.
The mother had gotten a letter to their house, and it said it was from their daughter, five years after she disappeared.
Bay County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jason Daffin knew they had to act fast.
He posted a video on Facebook, speaking directly to Emily, to get some sort of confirmation that she was the one who had sent the letter.
“Emily, if you’re watching this,” Daffin said in the video, “our investigation is for no other reason but to make sure that you’re safe, that you’re where you want to be and it’s under your own free will.”
“I’m not at liberty to disclose to anybody where you’re at. That’s nobody else’s business, that’s your privacy. You’re an adult,” Daffin continued. “Emily, if you can just pick up the phone …. there are a lot of people in this community that care about you and love you and they just want that peace of mind.”
A few days later, a person entered an unknown, to the public, police station. The person said she was a girl named Emily.
The police in Bay County heard about it and asked for pictures of the girl as proof that she actually was the person she claimed to be.
It turned out to be the real Emily Paul. After five years, she finally was located.
Emily said she was doing well and that she decided to disappear out of her own will.
But why she left and where is still a mystery.
One of Emily’s cousins spoke to several media outlets following the news that Emily had been located and expressed her enormous joy.
“I am over the moon to know she’s alive. I’ve spent the past five years, we all have… hoping, praying, dreaming, wishing,” her cousin, Melissa Parker said according to ABC News. “I love you, we all love you so much and no matter how much time goes by, no matter what happens, what has happened, we will always be here for you.”
It sure is fantastic to hear the news that Emily is alive and safe.
We would also like to thank law enforcement for their amazing work, not only in this case but in general. You’re the real heroes!
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