|
A year full of hope
Silsbee family continue search for Hamshire
By Amy A. Collins REPORTER
 | | Hamshire |
|
SILSBEE - While most folks switched their clocks forward for Daylight Saving's Time without a second thought, Ronald Hamshire and his wife Judy of Silsbee were reminded of their missing 37-yearold son Stephen.
"He loved messing with gadgets, like CD players and clocks. He's just a natural button pusher. Whenever we had to switch the clocks, he'd be the one to do it for us," Ronald Hamshire said.
It has been a full year since Stephen, diagnosed with a complicated form of autism at age seven, went on one of his usual walks around town and never came back. Because of his mental disorder, Ronald said Stephen was a loner who liked to go for long walks and visit local stores. It was not out of the ordinary for Stephen to walk from the Hamshire residence near McDonald's to Wal-Mart or even north of Silsbee on FM 92.
"Stephen is sweet, kind and would never hurt anyone or anything. He loved to walk to visit his cousins and his favorite aunt," Judy Hamshire said.
The Hamshire family knew Stephen had a daily route for his walks, but sometimes, the route would change and that was a sign to reevaluate his medication.
Once just before Stephen disappeared, the Hamshires' received a phone call from the police department saying they'd found Stephen in a bus barn, barely a mile from their home. Apparently, Stephen had climbed through a hole at the bottom of the gate.
"That didn't sound like my boy," Ronald said. "He didn't like to get dirty, it really bothered him. That let me know that we'd have to set up a
doctor's visit and find out what was going on."
On day six of the search, Ronald said, tracking dogs followed Stephen's trail from the Hamshire residence down to the Village Creek Bridge on Texas 327. From there, Ronald said, the trail went along the creek to an area that appeared to be heavily walked.
The dogs continued following the scent, but they ended up back on the highway, so the Hamshires believe Stephen may have been taken out of the area.
"The ground was all torn up around there, like some people had disturbed it," Ronald said. "It might have been fishermen. We just hope that someone was around the day Stephen came here and saw something. We hope they step forward."
Ronald, a Vietnam veteran and retired worker, describes his son as a gentle giant who loves to study dinosaurs, collect unique watches, and read books.
"Stephen is an avid reader. He would read anything, everything. He read Gone with the Wind when he was about ten years old," he said.
Judy added that Stephen is also a fan of movies and music.
The Hamshire family moved to Silsbee in 2005, but they previously lived in the Austin area where Stephen explored wooded areas and studied karate with his father.
Judy remembered a time when Stephen's love of gadgets came in handy at school. A teacher had been working on a computer for several days, trying to get it to work properly. After ten minutes, Stephen had corrected the problem.
"It's an autistic trait to excel at some things, but the rest is mud," Judy said.
Ronald, Judy and their family have placed signs all over the area in the search for Stephen. Search efforts have also included photos of Stephen on the back of 18- wheelers.
"People have been really good with helping us," Ronald said. "We have prayer groups in California and Iraq once word got out about Stephen."
The Hamshires hope these efforts help spread the word to someone who has either recently seen Stephen or knows of his whereabouts. A major concern is that Stephen may have suffered a breakdown because he may not have access to his medications.
"We hope that wherever he is, he's safe and with people who care about him. That's what we pray," Judy said.
Although Silsbee police and other law enforcement have been exceptional in their investigation, Hamshire said, there have been no new leads, but they continue the search and hope to bring Stephen home.
"Stephen will always be my baby and until I know different I look for him everyday," Judy said. "I hope someone has seen something to help us find him. "
Stephen Hamshire is described as a 37-year-old white male, 5 feet 8 inches tall, and 180 pounds. He has brown hair, cut Beatles style, and hazel eyes. He has been missing since March 25, 2007. The Hamshires' are offering a cash reward for Stephen's safe return.
If anyone has any information on this case, please call the Silsbee Police Department at (409) 385-3714 or visit the station at 1104 N Fifth St.
| 
)
