JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Friday marks the 15th annual Missing Adult Day, which is dedicated to raising awareness and remembering the open cases of adults missing in Northeast Florida.
The event aims to shine a light on these cases and provide support to families who continue to search for answers.
Ryan Backman, executive director of Project Cold Case, said missing adult cases often do not receive the same level of attention as those involving children.
“Unfortunately for those families, they oftentimes feel left out or forgotten,” Backman said.
One such family is that of John Rowan Jr., who has been missing for 24 years, leaving his loved ones with lingering questions.
Police informed Rowan’s mother that her son was abducted outside his Jacksonville home in February 2001. His SUV was discovered a month later in Orlando. Rowan left behind a wife and children.
His family now helps organize Missing Adult Day events.
“Adults have children, have spouses, have parents, they have siblings, they have friends, and all of those people still feel that ambiguous loss of not knowing what happened to their loved one,” Backman explained.
Another case that has captivated Jacksonville is that of Mark Degner and Bryan Hayes, who went missing two decades ago from Paxon Middle School. At the time, Degner was 12 and Hayes was 13.
Earlier this month, age progression photos were released, offering a glimpse of what the pair might look like as adults.
“To sit with those families as they look at what’s projected to be their grandson, son, and sibling and cousin looks like here 20 years later, it’s a very emotional and powerful moment,” Backman shared.
Despite a few reported sightings over the years, the cases of Degner and Hayes remain unsolved. However, their families continue to hold onto hope.
“They believe their loved ones are still coming home, so I have sat with them and talked about that feeling of not knowing,” Backman said.
The feeling of the unknown is a constant, traumatic experience for these families.
“Are they OK, are they safe, are they going to come home or even if they aren’t alive, a place where they can grieve and mourn,” Backman added.
Missing Adult Day in Northeast Florida serves as a reminder of the ongoing search for answers and the importance of community support in bringing closure to families affected by these unsolved cases.
