Christmas 2009

 My daughter Jessica (JESSIE) Edith Louise Foster was born on May 27th, 1984 in Calgary, AB Canada; moved to Kamloops, BC with me and her sisters on June 27th, 1986 where she attended the same schools as I did for elementary, junior & high school – she did kindergarten through grade 10 & started grade 11 here in Kamloops; finished grade 11 & graduated grade 12 back in Calgary on June 1st, 2002; and went missing from North Las Vegas, NV USA on (or about) March 29th, 2006. She is still missing over 3 ½ years later. We believe that Jessie is the victim of a human trafficking ring. It is thought by some that she is alive and being held against her will in some other part of the world, it is thought by others that Jessie was murdered when she tried to get away from the people who lured her to Las Vegas, beat her and forced her to work for an escort agency. We do not know for sure but I do know this...my heartstrings to Jessie are still very much connected. I feel in my heart of hearts and in the depths of my gut that my daughter is still alive. I will look for Jessie until I find her...or die trying.

Christmas has always been Jessie's favorite holiday. The same with my other kids and with all kids, but even more so with Jessie. Sometimes I think Jessie's excitement fed off to her sisters and it increased their excitement. I am not sure why...I just seem to remember that. I remember Jessie's sisters getting more excited about everything when they saw how excited she was. I loved it. I love to remember it.

When I was pregnant with my 2nd child, my daughter Jessie Foster (who has been missing since March 29th, 2006), I was very concerned. I mean, I loved Crystal SO MUCH I could not understand how I could ever love another being as much as this and I was worried about it. Crystal was 8 months old when I got pregnant again and was only 17 months old when Jessie was born (Crystal was 4 & Jessie was 2 ½ when Katie was born and when Jennee was born, Crystal was 7, Jessie was 5 ½ & Katie was 3). So I spoke to my dear friend, Tracy, about it. About a year later, Tracy started dating Crystal & Jessie's dad Dwight and has since then (about 25 years) been their stepmom – which is the best thing that could have happened for my daughters – Tracy is an awesome mother to her own 2 daughters and is just as wonderful as a stepmother to Dwight's 2 daughters. I was crying and I asked her how in the world could I ever love this new baby as much as I loved Crystal since my love for her was off the charts. Tracy told me something that I am so grateful for and I have never, ever forgotten – as a matter of fact, I tell this to other young moms all the time. Tracy said to me YOUR HEART DOES NOT DIVIDE, IT MULTIPLIES! Oh, how right she was....IS! I love Jessie just as just as I love Crystal; I love Katie just as much as I love Crystal & Jessie; I love Jennee just as much as I love Crystal, Jessie & Katie; and I love my 3 grandchildren just as much as I love Crystal, Jessie, Katie & Jennee. It is amazing!

Christmas 2005 – Jessie came home to Canada in late November so she could be here for her sister Katie's 19th birthday on December 8th, and to be home for Christmas. She never told us when she was going back – many of her friends told me they thought she was not going back to Vegas and were surprised when she left without saying goodbye to most of them. From the time she got home until Christmas morning, Jessie never once told us specifically what day she was leaving. So when we all got up Christmas morning to open presents, spend the day together and then go to my dad's for dinner it was a complete surprise to us all when Jessie told us she had a flight booked on the 3:00 P.M. plane for Las Vegas. The entire time that Jessie was in Canada; here in Kamloops with us and in Calgary with her dad's family; Jessie was constantly on the phone with her fiancé, Peter Todd. We could hear his voice through the phone, screaming at her all the time. All the time it was just ARUGING, FIGHTING, SCREAMING, SWEARING, CRYING – well, Jessie would cry. When Jessie would hang up on him he would call the house number – whether Jessie was here in Kamloops or in Calgary, he would call the house phone and let it ring and ring and ring, no matter what time of the day or night it was – and when we answered, he would not say anything....Jessie's dad Dwight told me the same thing that I personally experienced – the 'person' on the other end would simply breathe into the phone, then hang up. We all knew it was Peter – he did not have to let us see his number on our call display or let us hear his voice to know. This never happened before or since and it happened when Jessie would not talk to Peter on her cell phone. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20, as we all know. And now we know what this was all about – Jessie did not want to go back and he was making her. He was most likely threatening her well-being or even her life, but more than that, I believe he was threatening her family. Perhaps telling her that something would happen to me or to one of her sisters. Jessie thought she was engaged to his person and during the time together, she told him about her life – about her family – about her mom & sisters and how close we all are...as most young women in love would do. He had lots of info to use against her; in my opinion. So, just before her flight, we all piled into the SUV and took my daughter to the airport – she got on a plane and we have never seen her again. Jessie went missing 3 months later. Jessie's older sister, Crystal has always said she saw a look on Jessie's face...in her eyes...as she walked to get her plane. She never could figure it out until Jessie went missing – now she knows. Jessie's was pleading with her eyes DON'T LET ME GO. We missed it. We let her go and now she is gone.

Christmas 2006 – Jessie was missing for 8 months by now. Our last time seeing her was on this day one year ago. It was a very hard time for me...for all of us. I did not even want to do Christmas, to tell you the truth. I would have been just as happy to sleep that day through. But it was not to be that way. My youngest daughter, Jennee insisted we put up the Christmas tree and she decorated it for me. It was hard to see the decorations that the kids made me when they were kids in school, Brownies, Guides, at summer camp and the "Y"...especially the ones Jessie made. But we got through it – I got through it and I always thank Jennee for that.

Christmas 2007 – Jessie was missing almost 2 years by then, and if it was not for the best thing to happen to us in a long time, I doubt I would have got through it. My 1st grandchild was born. It's a GIRL! She was like a dose of reality and medicine together. My heart multiplied once again!

Christmas 2008 – Jessie was missing almost 3 years by then, my granddaughter turned 1, and another grandchild was due just after Christmas. It was a BOY! He was 10 days late and born on January. My family has grown along with my heart!

Christmas 2009 – Jessie has been missing almost 4 years and I can barely remember what it is like to NOT have a missing daughter anymore. I have memories, of course, but it is different. I need Jessie back so this feeling changes. My granddaughter will be 2, my grandson will be 1 and we have more wonderful news in December – another grandchild. It's a GIRL! She was 2 days late and born so healthy and beautiful. Another miracle!

_______________________________________________

REWARD: $50,000 to the person who helps us find Jessie

WEBSITE: http://jessiefoster.ca

FORUM: http://findjessie.com

BLOG: http://jessiefoster.blogspot.com

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/MissingJessie

AMERICA'S MOST WANTED: http://www.amw.com/missing_persons/brief.cfm?id=60803

ABC NIGHTLINE: Hunting Humans on the Highways: http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7582591

2009 TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT: http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2009/index.htm

JESSIE’S POSTERS in 12 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=7986&id=1643822787&l=e0786b6f4b