Mary Ramsbottom has spent two decades searching for answers in the disappearance of her sister, Paula Ann Wade, and nephew, Brandon Wade, who vanished from their Valdosta home on Oct. 14, 2002. Her plea has never wavered, and now a new awareness campaign is bringing Brandon’s face to thousands of gas station screens across Georgia and Florida, sparking hope that someone might finally step forward with the missing piece.
“It is a nightmare that never ends,” Ramsbottom said, reflecting on the years without answers. “Someone out there knows something. Maybe 22 years ago, they overlooked a small detail that could be the missing piece to the puzzle. That is all we need, someone to come forward no matter how small the tip is.”
The Disappearance That Shook Valdosta
Brandon was just 3 years old when he and his mother, who was 26, disappeared. Paula was reported missing after she failed to show up for work. Concerned coworkers visited her apartment and found no sign of her or Brandon, though Paula’s car was still parked outside. Since then, the family has had no clues about what happened.
TOO MANY ADS? GO AD-FREE
Did You Know?: The ads you see on this site help pay for our website and our work. However, we know some of our readers would rather pay and not see ads. For those users we offer a paid newsletter that contains our articles with no ads.
What You Get: A daily email digest of our articles in full-text with no ads.
In 2022, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children collaborated with a forensic artist to create age-progressed images of Brandon and Paula, hoping to reignite interest in the case.
Reviving Hope at the Pump
Partnering with GSTV, a digital video network, NCMEC is now displaying Brandon’s poster on screens at more than 2,800 gas stations throughout Georgia and Florida. Through October, drivers at the pump will see Brandon’s face and the details of his case, with NCMEC hoping this renewed visibility will bring the family closer to the answers they’ve sought for so long.
“There is a hole,” Ramsbottom said. “A big piece missing, and I need someone to come forward with the missing piece.”