Dad’s plea to missing son two years after he vanished
DISAPPEARED IN 2015 – BUT STILL HOPE FAMILY WILL BE REUNITED
IT’S been two years since Paul Whinham last saw his son, Michael.
The then-31-year-old vanished on November 14, 2015, and his dad hasn’t seen him since – but he’s never given up hope he will come home.
On yesterday’s anniversary of his son’s disappearance, desperate Paul, of Wallsend, has shared a plea for the son he misses so much.
In a heart-wrenching video, he tells Michael: “Wherever you are, if you’re happy with what you’re doing, there’s no problem; if you’ve got a problem, there’s no problem we can’t overcome together.
“All I would like to say to you is we all love you, and miss you, and basically just want you home.”
The devoted dad says he’s confident his son is out there somewhere.
He has kept Michael’s home in Oakfield Gardens, Newcastle, just as it was when he left.
And yesterday he spent the day replacing the posters around St James’ Park, showing his son’s face, in the hope that he’ll be one day be recognised by one of the football fans travelling from across the country.
He said: “The longer we go with no body being found, the more I’m convinced he’s alive.
“That’s what’s keeping me positive – it’s so easy, even in this day and age, for someone to disappear.
“If he wants to be on his own, that’s ok – I just want him to get in touch and let us know that he’s alright.
“The longer people are missing, the harder it can be for them to come home, because they don’t know if people are waiting for them, so we just need to let him know that we want him back, and we’re here for him, and hoping he sees it.”
The long search has been tough on Paul, 67, as well as his other son, also Paul, 35.
Michael’s half-sister Jessica, 16, who spent a lot of time with him, still attends the church the pair used to visit together, where she says she feels closer to him.
Paul’s campaign to bring Michael home has seen him build close connections to the families of other missing people.
He has even written to the Prime Minister to ask about the funding for missing persons searches around the UK.
The last confirmed sighting of Michael was CCTV which showed him leaving Newcastle Crown Court, on the Quayside on the day of his disappearance.
He is described as 5ft 11ins tall and of thin build.
It is not known what clothes he was wearing when he went missing.
Paul believes he may have recently been living in the Edinburgh area.
Anyone with information about him can contact his family through the Missing People charity, on 116 000.