Lou Smyrlis

As many of you know a few days ago I came back from the joyous celebrating of my son’s 10th birthday to the horrible news that my 16-year-old niece, Megan Cherry, was on the missing persons list, listed as an endangered runaway down in Texas.

Her family, friends, local police and the FBI were searching frantically for her but with absolutely no results. As you can appreciate the whole family was worried sick, all sorts of terrible things going through their mind. This was so out of character for Megan, who was a talented teenager showing a world of promise.

Soon as I heard the sad news, I wrote a blog asking for the transportation industry’s help in looking for Megan.

Well, earlier tonight I received the news we have all been praying for. Megan was found and she is safe.

I want to thank all the transportation professionals who e-mailed me with their support and the many others who offered to help by posting my blog on their Facebook page. Our whole family has been so touched by your kindness in this most difficult of times.

For Megan and her family, the next few weeks will I’m sure involve the important processes of acceptance, forgiveness, reconnecting and emotional growth.

But although this particular chapter in Megan’s story has that happy ending we had all been praying for, I don’t want this story to end here. What happened to Megan and her family has brought the plight of parents whose children have gone missing into much sharper focus for me. It has also reasserted my belief that the transportation industry can have a very positive role to play in helping find missing children.

Over the next few weeks I will be looking into how this Web site and our publications can help raise awareness about missing children and use the “eyes and ears” of our transportation professionals to create more happy endings.