HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Several Tennessee moms held a prayer vigil in Sumner County on Sunday evening as search efforts continue for missing 15-year-old Sebastian Rogers.
Dozens met in the Beach High School parking lot, where Sebastian attends school and not far from where he was reportedly last seen, on Stafford Court, on Feb. 26.
“It’s definitely pulling at the heartstrings, but also the mama bear in me just wants to help find him and bring him home, and I think a group of us moms and citizens, we all want to do the same,” said Hendersonville mom Vanessa Pryor, who helped organize the vigil.
Despite extensive search efforts from air and land, including mounted patrols, cave searches, and multiple canine units, Sebastian’s whereabouts remain a mystery roughly two weeks after he was reported missing.
Attendees at the vigil on Sunday, March 10 wore green, which was Sebastian’s favorite color. Culver’s in Hendersonville also donated ice cream coupons, which was said to be Sebastian’s favorite kind of ice cream.
Steve Guldenzoph led the crowd in singing “Amazing Grace.”
“We pray that you would reveal something to law enforcement that they have not seen before. I pray that all the eyes and the ears that are in this community, that someone, somewhere, has seen something to bring Sebastian home,” prayed Philip Smith, the lead pastor At Goodnaz Church.
Sebastian’s mother sent a message to the vigil, which was read by Twila Sisco, who has been helping coordinate search and drone efforts with EquuSearch Midwest.
“The pain of our son’s absence is beyond words. We ask that everyone, everywhere remain aware and continue to look for anything that can help us find Sebastian and pray we bring him home,” Sisco read on behalf of Sebastian’s mother.
Pryor said she was motivated to help organize the event both after a mom, and out of a personal connection she felt to Sebastian’s story. Pryor added that her sister passed away years ago and was around Sebastian’s age at the time.
“I want to say I can’t imagine, you know, I watched my parents lose their daughter, and so I know it’s the worst pain that any parent can ever feel, the worst pain I think anybody can ever endure in their lives, so our support is with them, and we just hope that they know that we love them, and we love Sebastian, and we just want the best outcome possible,” Pryor said.
Neighbors are asked to continue searching their property, at least twice a day, for any signs of Sebastian.