Gone without a trace and their families left with a constant feeling of the unknown.
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For many, Missing Persons Week is an opportunity to raise awareness, for others it's a cruel reminder.
Missing Persons Week is an annual event that takes place during the first week of August to raise awareness of the significant issues surrounding missing persons.
The week is also used to profile long-term missing persons, and to educate the Australian community.
For 17 years a constant void has been in Norm Stanton and his family's lives.
From May 9, 2003, his son Ian Stanton left his Bundanoon flat and never returned.
Norm recounts that Ian had just celebrated a birthday and was in high spirits, then he disappeared.
"It was just a week after his 23rd birthday," Mr Stanton said.
"He had spent it with his parents and sister Ella. He'd described it as "his best ever".
"He then just walked out, leaving behind his wallet, keys, money and clothes."
Ian grew up in a positive and loving home. When he began his teenage years that is when problems began to arise, Mr Stanton said.
"Ian had a wonderful childhood, much adored by his four siblings, his parents and grandparents," Mr Stanton said.
"However, about 13, when he discovered marijuana, his personality and behaviour changed. That culminated in him leaving home at 16.
"We became aware Ian had mental health issues and he continued to have his ups and downs into adulthood.
"He was always a sensitive, quite introverted person, with a strong social conscience and a good sense of humour, but struggled to maintain stability in his life."
When Ian failed to contact his parents for several days in May 2003, they became worried.
"On the Friday before Ian's disappearance I'd gone to his flat in Bundanoon to take some clothes he'd left at our place, some mail and some food," Mr Stanton said.
"He'd been in the shower, looked a bit "spaced out" and certainly didn't want to invite me in. So he thanked me and we said goodbye.
"We didn't hear from him over the weekend, so on the Tuesday my wife Jean went to his place and found the door open.
"She didn't go in, thinking he'd popped out to the shops. We both went back on the Thursday because we were a bit uneasy about him not being in contact.
"This time we went inside and found the food in the kitchen untouched, keys, money and wallet on the table; it just looked and felt as if he had simply walked out and not returned."
The effect for the Stanton family was immediate and surreal.
"The impact was immediate after reporting Ian as missing to the police at Bowral and it was very unsettling," Mr Stanton said.
"I never contemplated him going missing. It just wasn't in my consciousness. There was such a surreal air to it all; this can't be happening to us.
"It was all very overwhelming. There was constant liaison with police, the Missing Persons Unit and various agencies.
"I began to encounter the frustrations of privacy regulations. We searched in Morton National Park as best we could and put up posters.
"I visited refuges and contacted hospitals and mental health institutions and also some of Ian's past friends. I engaged the Salvation Army Family Tracing Service and joined the NSW Missing persons committee.
"It was frustrating not achieving any success."
The Stanton family have experienced every possible emotion. Reaching out for help wherever they could find it, the Stanton family have never given up, but also need to ensure their own well-being.
"In the early days you are on a roller coaster, going in and out of the stages of grief," Mr Stanton said.
"At some stage that analogy transitions to a suspension bridge.
"At one end is the rational belief that I have to move on with life, let go of the past and make sure I am well and caring for the other loved ones in my life.
"At the other end is this strong emotional attachment that I just can't leave. A need to hang onto the memories of my son.
"I would say that over time we have reached a stage of acceptance, but he is always in our thoughts.
"Soon after Ian went missing, the police advised he had been seen by two girls working in Bundanoon, but nothing ever came of it.
"On one occasion we had a report that he'd been beside the Federal Highway, but it wasn't followed up.
"In the early days Jean contacted clairvoyants who revealed various scenarios, but nothing concrete ever eventuated."
With normality eluding the family, they had to overcome and adapt a new 'normality'. But, no matter how life seems to roll on, there will always be reminders of Ian.
"After such a long time it's evolved to become a new normality," Mr Stanton said.
"There are still however so many unsettling experiences to be encountered, even years after the event, when a member of your family goes missing.
"Some are anticipated triggers, like birthdays, false sightings, anniversaries and announcements about missing persons in the media.
"Some sneak up on you. I found moving house a few years ago was one of those.
"Certainly there is no closure. The experts describe it as ambiguous loss.
"I refer to the situation as the Clayton's loss: the loss you are experiencing when you're not sure if it really is a loss. Part of you wants to get over the grief; the other part thinks that just maybe, we try to focus on our fond memories as part of our acceptance."
There is no advice you can give to heal a wound of the unknown. But, the Stanton family know how to survive and look after one another.
It's difficult to provide generic advice on this issue because everyone reacts so differently to the situation, even within the close family," Mr Stanton said.
"However, I recommend you keep the lines of communication open with police, ensuring they are doing their best to find the person.
It's advisable to seek help through the Family and Friends of Missing Persons who provide very good counselling in negotiating the different phases of grief and can offer useful practical advice, especially at times such as the coronial inquest.
"Above all, take good care of yourself."
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