A forensic sketch of Jessie Foster as she may look now.
Image Credit: Diana Trepkov
March 25, 2016 - 1:00 PM
KAMLOOPS - Glendene Grant is holding an event this week to commemorate the tenth anniversary of her daughter’s disappearance.
Jessie Foster went missing in Las Vegas 10 years ago and the Tuesday, March 29 event will include the naming of a star in honour of Grant's daughter and a candle light vigil.
Grant says it’s not just to commemorate her daughter, but to serve as a reminder of all the people who are missing.
“These huge numbers, it’s been 25 years since Michael Dunahee went missing, it boggles peoples mind, but it reminds them,” she says. “It’s not just to commemorate the person, but it reminds people. That’s the only way to conquer anything is to keep the light shining on it.”
Grant says anniversaries can be hard when it’s the disappearance of a loved one.
“I have a hard time. I can feel this thing, it’s beginning to hit — 10 years.”
Grant says while she is nervous about having a public anniversary, she sees the importance of talking about human trafficking. She says it brings people together who’ve gone through similar experiences.
“There’s at least three families who over the years who’ve had a connection with our family because they’ve gone through something like us,” she says.
The event starts at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29 at the bandshell in Riverside Park. Grant says a local DJ will have his equipment on hand for speakers to talk to the crowd. The candle vigil will follow once the sky darkens; Some candles will be provided, but Grant is hoping some people can bring their own candles.
Her daughter Jennifer Grant is writing a book about her missing sister. She's in the editing phase of the project and collecting money to publish the finished work.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Brendan Kergin at bkergin@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2016