SULLIVAN, Mo. — This upcoming Wednesday will make five years since Betty Alexander suddenly went missing from her home in Sullivan, Missouri.
Tonya Miller and John Schoonveld stood outside the doors of The Ridge Church of Sullivan on Sunday in a desperate search to find their 72-year-old mother.
The pastor led the church in prayer by giving a synopsis of Alexander, saying "We look for you to not only answers but for a miracle."
"Knowing we still have no answers. Not even a single clue on where she is. It's been hard to hold on to hope," Miller said.
Alexander disappeared without a trace from her apartment in Sullivan on April 10, 2019.
The only things notably left behind, her purse and glasses she kept close. The fentanyl medication she was prescribed for pain was missing.
Over the last five years, Miller and Schoonveld have found refuge in their faith.
"It gives us the strength to keep going," Miller said.
"We just put out faith in the Lord that He'll bring us some answers. That's the best that we can do," Schoonveld added.
The family has gained support from people near and far online, on their Bring Betty Home Facebook page.
Miller noted that they had not received any updates from authorities in the last year.
"As far as the [Sullivan] police department goes, it's been just sitting on a shelf there. They don't have the resources to be able to work it and we have a Highway Patrol detective that's working it in his spare time."
For this family, there's a lot to miss.
"Just having her there for the support, for the hugs."
"the grandchildren that she hasn't met and her cooking for sure."
They're keeping their hearts open to help in hopes they'll one day find closure.
'Maybe we can get the community to rally to police and Highway Patrol to communicate to kind of encourage them to revisit the case would be fantastic, " Alexander's son said.
"We don't know what to do anymore. We don't know where to look for answers anymore. So if anybody can help or point us in the direction of somebody that can help," her daughter continued.
Betty is a white woman who would now be 74 years old. She is 4 feet, 11 inches tall and weighs 145 pounds. She last had dark brown hair with blonde highlights and blue eyes.
If you have any information call Sullivan Police at 573-468-8001.
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