Two Yarmouth families unite to grieve death, disappearance of loved ones
CBC
Kimberly Molton says the holidays are hard for her family.
It was four years ago that her cousin, 21-year-old Zach Lefave, went missing after a New Year's gathering.
His birthday was only two days away.
It was during those times that Stacey Cook reached out to the family to offer her support.
Cook's son, Colton, was murdered only a few months before Lefave's disappearance. He would have turned 31 today.
"I went 72 hours not knowing where my son was and it was devastating," Cook said.
"Even though the outcome wasn't what we wanted, knowing and having him is a lot different than not knowing."
Cook added that she can't imagine how Lefave's mother must feel after four years.
Since then, the two Yarmouth families have been coming together every January to remember the birthdays and support each other through the pain.
"It's definitely helpful knowing that there are people out there that are still thinking of Zach," said Molton.
The families organized public events in past years to mark the birthdays and raise awareness of their cases. But they will meet privately this year on Saturday.
Cook said the reunion reminds her that she is not alone. "You have somebody that has similar thoughts, feelings and it's nice to know that you're not going crazy," she said.
The RCMP continues to investigate Lefave's disappearance.
He was last seen walking along the side of Highway 334 near Plymouth, N.S., in Yarmouth County, at around 12:15 p.m.
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