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Vanished Without a Trace

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(page 9 of 9)

They speak about plans to convince the President to establish an agency to help parents whose children are missing. They think their experiences in distributing Kurt's picture would be invaluable to anyone in a similar dilemma. And they still seek ideas. "If anyone can come up with anything and give me an address of how I can do it, that's what I want."

After spending a weekend with Ron and Jill and Kimberly, two images remain, as bright as Kurt's blue eyes that seem to bum from his pictures. It is a Saturday night, and Kimberly is sitting cross-legged on the old brown sofa in their lakeside camp. She is dressed in a pink bunny suit, and her lovely brown hair is brushed down her back. It is late and the light in the cabin is dim and she is sleepy, but she wants to finish reading her book. The name of the book is Donn Fendler, Lost on a Mountain in Maine, the dramatic true story of the twelve-year-old scout from Rye, New York, who, against great odds, survived a nine-day trek to safety from mist-shrouded Baxter Peak. "I wonder if that's how it was for Kurt," she says softly, and when she is finished, the happy ending tucked in her mind, she is ready to sleep.

On Sunday the table is set outside the Newtons' home for a traditional Sunday dinner of roast pork and potatoes. It is sunny and a wind is blowing; there is debate whether to eat indoors or out. Their garden is planted and staked out, and Jill sits in the warm grass of late spring. "I really enjoy watching things grow," she says. "But I'm so impatient waiting for the produce." Across the yard Kimberly is laughing as she sails on her rope swing. Ron, who is camera shy, is finding things to do to keep from being photographed.

"You know," Jill says, "in a way I feel fortunate. I have a prayer. And I have tomorrow. And tomorrow may bring Kurt."

This story's appearance in Yankee Magazine in 1979 prompted an enormous response from people who thought they might have information about Kurt Newton's whereabouts; as of today, however, he has not been found.

 I became interested in this case, last year, after reading, "The Day Kurt Newton Disappeared" in an old 1979 Yankee Magazine and did an internet search to see if this case had been solved.  
 I had hoped that Kurt had been found safe and returned to his family. 
 Having come across the old magazine again while cleaning, I once again did another search to see if anything new had come to light concerning this child's case.
 I wonder if anyone might have done a computer aging on Kurt, updating his appearance to what would be his current adult age and distributing it or perhaps publishing it in the newspaper where he grew up.  I suppose I like to believe in miracles, even at this late date.  Perhaps he would see the picture, read the story, and be reunited with his family.  Such stories have happened before.
Kurt's story still haunts my heart when I read it and see his photo.  I hope that he is alive, mentally and emotionally well and that God guides him back to where he belongs.