MANCHESTER, Ga. (WRBL) — Mourning families gathered at the Manchester Mill on Sunday for a prayer vigil to raise awareness for four cold cases; the death of Sidney McElwee-Kersey, Lauren Henderson, Tiffany Foster and disappearance of Olivia Fowler.
Aug. 13 marks the two-year anniversary of Fowler’s sudden disappearance. Olivia’s aunt says she’s been waiting patiently all 730 days.
“It’s rough,” said Tamara McCoy, Fowler’s aunt. “I stopped numbering it out in public cause that number gets bigger. But I see other families with thousands of days. I pray to God I don’t be one of them. I pray to God. We’re just hoping that we get answers very soon.”
McCoy organized the vigil as a way to support each family, letting them know they are not alone. The families bond over a common goal: getting closure and justice.
It’s been two weeks since Tiffany’s mother, Katrina Hill, received a call from the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office that changed her life forever. Investigators told Hill they have evidence indicating Tiffany is deceased and that Tiffany’s fiancée is a prime suspect.
“You can’t describe how you feel because it’s more like a ton of bricks fell on top of your head,” said Hill. “You can’t get up, you can’t breathe, you can’t do anything. But by me being the woman that I am, I know I have to get out here and do what I can for my daughter, along with trying to make sure that my other daughters and my grandchildren are okay.”
The McElwee-Kersey family has four years worth of questions regarding Sydney’s disappearance and death. Sydney’s eldest daughter Mary Jane says she finds comfort in surrounding herself with other families going through the same hardships, but her grieving process just started.
“You don’t know how to grieve, honestly,” said Mary Jane. “You don’t know what to do. And I hate this. I really, really hate this. I love coming out here and seeing everyone because they’re like family. But at the end of the day, I hate it because we shouldn’t have to do this.”
Family members lit candles around photo collages and released lanterns, lighting the way back home.
The families encourage anyone who has information on the disappearances and death of their loved ones to contact local authorities or call the FBI’s Atlanta field office at 770-216-3000.