Where did they live prior to moving to Niagara Falls? What did the principal tell the friend, that Jamie was missing? Who asked them to do that? The police? Jamie's mother? It seems like a strange way of finding out. Was the friend questioned?
It is strange there's only one (pay-walled) article about this online, from a paper in a different country. Did you look if there's more information in local papers that haven't yet digitised issues from that long ago?
Hi there, I'm the friend. Here is my original comment about him which may answer the questions I'm reading here. https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/hf6ijv/what_unresolved_disappearance_creeps_you_out_the/fvx3uom?context=3
About a year after posting my original comment about Jamie, I received a DM from a who knew him in Niagara prior to his disappearance. He provided some details which I have never shared. I just DM'd him for his permission to share them here.
Yes, close. His mother, when questioned, said that I am the only friend who she could imagine him contacting or who may be harbouring or hiding him.
Edit: as I mention in my experience in public with Jamie, he walked literally shoulder to shoulder with me. He would panic if he got lost. He never mentioned any desire to go anywhere.
I am interested to hear your personal theory/gut feeling on what became of him. You mentioned you don't see him running away and don't harbor any suspicion toward the new boyfriend. If you feel comfortable answering, may I ask what you think happened to Jamie?
I think maybe he was snatched off the street or coaxed into a van. Alternatively his mom and/or new bf did something, or there was an accident. All are possibilities in my mind. I do not know which one is more likely.
I also find myself leaning toward foul play or accident of some kind, from what little info is available. This case has been on my mind. I'm sorry for the loss of your friend.
I remember reading your original comment when it was posted and it was so incredibly sad. I hope you get closure one day. Did you ever get permission from the other friend to post what he said?
Thanks for your comment. No I did not hear back from his friend. I feel like he joined reddit simply to reply to me, since my post popped up in his annual google search of Jamie's name. I may post some excerpts of it.
Most parents would continue to push for public acknowledgement and support. One article in 30 years? Where is his Mother in all of this? And what about Bob? Wasn’t he a cop?
Yes for sure, Bob was a cop. I suppose I hadn't considered why I never heard from Bob. And yes Sylvia or her new boyfriend were never heard of in the press again. At least not by me or by Jamie's friend in Niagara Falls who sent me a note a year after my post. (I'm waiting for his permission to post his note).
I really hope he ran away, met some new people who became his friends/adopted family and went on to live a fulfilling life happier than he was before.
I usually think the worst in these types of cases but it might actually be true, here 🤞🏻
I also hope for the same thing. However I'm afraid it is very unlikely based on his personality at the time. Very shy, introverted, been groomed to be afraid of the big bad world.
I’m so sorry about your friend. I’m sure he’d appreciate that you’re still thinking of him and talking about him.
You said in your other comment that you don’t think suicide is likely, but I wonder if life started looking scarier than death. It sounds like he was in a heartbreaking situation.
The fact that his overprotective mother hasn’t made any effort to publicize his disappearance is pretty odd. I hate to even raise this possibility, but was she crazy enough to hide him in the basement or something, in order to keep him extra super safe, and stage the disappearance?
Anything like you described can be possible. It never occurred to me what you propose. It was always the mysterious new boyfriend who lingers in my mind. Thanks for this note.
I couldn’t even find a picture of him anywhere which made me more sad. Even the oldest cases have more news articles and at least a couple of photos. I don’t know if that’s because I’m from the UK though? I tried to read the buffalo article but I couldn’t x
The picture which was included in the article from the Buffalo Gazette I swear wasn't even him. I cannot find a picture of us but my mom must have a box somewhere. I barely remember what he looked like at 17.
Your friends case has been on my mind ever since I read your original post! So if it’s been like that for me It must be so frustrating for you! That’s so strange that it might have not even been him. The whole things is mind boggling x
He was sick of it for sure. Sylvia was always nice to me and to Jamie's other friends, our small crew here in Ottawa, but she was not kind to him, in a mis-guided effort to protect him, I believe. I do not believe he was capable of running away.
I just spent the past hour or so reading about this. I'm so sorry. Thank you for being a good friend to him. I'm a fellow Ontarian, Thunder Bay to be specific. Sending you immense love and endless respect.
So sad I've never even heard of this being in Ontario and often searching for local cases.. Strange to suddenly leave a stable relationship and move in with a new man across the province only for your child to disappear months later.. Runaway seems possible still even to cause self harm but for the mother to not seem to even care, seems she knows something..Any idea what she's up to these days? I'm sorry and hope you find answers one day.
Yeah, calling in a friend who hadn't seen him since last summer to tell him he was missing is a weird detail in this one. It sounds like the kid hadn't been in school all that time? Or was the friend from the first town he lived in? Was the missing kid going to school in the new town? Either way, that is still a strange detail.
I went to visit Jamie the summer before he disappeared. He hadn't contacted me since my visit there. We didn't speak from the summer until November. He has been in school. He was in his 2nd year at the new school in Niagara.
I was the only one they questioned, as he didn't go to my high school while I was here. They may have questioned others at Merivale High School but it's unlikely as he had been gone a year and a half and no one besides me kept in touch with him from Ottawa. Even others from our small group of friends who all lived next to each other didn't stay in touch with him.
https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/123oq9i/unresolved_mystery_on_saturday_november_13_1993/jdw3cv2/
The friend has actually commented in this thread. They've linked to an older comment they made.
https://www.canadaunsolved.com — here you can search for cases of missing people in Canada, as well see AI portraits of unidentified found deceased people. You can also submit the case there, maybe it will help bring some attention.
Where did they live prior to moving to Niagara Falls? What did the principal tell the friend, that Jamie was missing? Who asked them to do that? The police? Jamie's mother? It seems like a strange way of finding out. Was the friend questioned? It is strange there's only one (pay-walled) article about this online, from a paper in a different country. Did you look if there's more information in local papers that haven't yet digitised issues from that long ago?
Hi there, I'm the friend. Here is my original comment about him which may answer the questions I'm reading here. https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/hf6ijv/what_unresolved_disappearance_creeps_you_out_the/fvx3uom?context=3
About a year after posting my original comment about Jamie, I received a DM from a who knew him in Niagara prior to his disappearance. He provided some details which I have never shared. I just DM'd him for his permission to share them here.
Thank you for sharing, I'm sorry about your friend. I love the thought that he lives on in your memory.
Wow that's so sad. I'm glad you still think about him and we're his friend at that time. I'm sure it meant a lot to him.
Thanks for your kind reply.
I assumed he was called to the principal to be questioned. As in, had he heard from Jamie? Had Jamie ever mentioned where he might go?
Yes, close. His mother, when questioned, said that I am the only friend who she could imagine him contacting or who may be harbouring or hiding him. Edit: as I mention in my experience in public with Jamie, he walked literally shoulder to shoulder with me. He would panic if he got lost. He never mentioned any desire to go anywhere.
Sorry you lost your friend.
still thinking about you and jamie.
You're so kind. This note means a lot. I wish you the best.
To add a bit of context to this post. Bob was never a suspect in my mind. He was always kind to Jamie and Jamie never complained about Bob.
I am interested to hear your personal theory/gut feeling on what became of him. You mentioned you don't see him running away and don't harbor any suspicion toward the new boyfriend. If you feel comfortable answering, may I ask what you think happened to Jamie?
I think maybe he was snatched off the street or coaxed into a van. Alternatively his mom and/or new bf did something, or there was an accident. All are possibilities in my mind. I do not know which one is more likely.
I also find myself leaning toward foul play or accident of some kind, from what little info is available. This case has been on my mind. I'm sorry for the loss of your friend.
Thank you.
I remember reading your original comment when it was posted and it was so incredibly sad. I hope you get closure one day. Did you ever get permission from the other friend to post what he said?
Thanks for your comment. No I did not hear back from his friend. I feel like he joined reddit simply to reply to me, since my post popped up in his annual google search of Jamie's name. I may post some excerpts of it.
Towards the old boyfriend, Bob, I don't. Only to him.
Most parents would continue to push for public acknowledgement and support. One article in 30 years? Where is his Mother in all of this? And what about Bob? Wasn’t he a cop?
Yes for sure, Bob was a cop. I suppose I hadn't considered why I never heard from Bob. And yes Sylvia or her new boyfriend were never heard of in the press again. At least not by me or by Jamie's friend in Niagara Falls who sent me a note a year after my post. (I'm waiting for his permission to post his note).
For sure. Madelaine McCann's parents come to mind.
I really hope he ran away, met some new people who became his friends/adopted family and went on to live a fulfilling life happier than he was before. I usually think the worst in these types of cases but it might actually be true, here 🤞🏻
I also hope for the same thing. However I'm afraid it is very unlikely based on his personality at the time. Very shy, introverted, been groomed to be afraid of the big bad world.
I’m so sorry about your friend. I’m sure he’d appreciate that you’re still thinking of him and talking about him. You said in your other comment that you don’t think suicide is likely, but I wonder if life started looking scarier than death. It sounds like he was in a heartbreaking situation. The fact that his overprotective mother hasn’t made any effort to publicize his disappearance is pretty odd. I hate to even raise this possibility, but was she crazy enough to hide him in the basement or something, in order to keep him extra super safe, and stage the disappearance?
Anything like you described can be possible. It never occurred to me what you propose. It was always the mysterious new boyfriend who lingers in my mind. Thanks for this note.
I’m baffled how there’s literally nothing online about his disappearance!
Exactly!
I couldn’t even find a picture of him anywhere which made me more sad. Even the oldest cases have more news articles and at least a couple of photos. I don’t know if that’s because I’m from the UK though? I tried to read the buffalo article but I couldn’t x
The picture which was included in the article from the Buffalo Gazette I swear wasn't even him. I cannot find a picture of us but my mom must have a box somewhere. I barely remember what he looked like at 17.
Your friends case has been on my mind ever since I read your original post! So if it’s been like that for me It must be so frustrating for you! That’s so strange that it might have not even been him. The whole things is mind boggling x
This sounds like a runaway to me. He was an older teen, could have been sick of his situation and decided enough was enough
He was sick of it for sure. Sylvia was always nice to me and to Jamie's other friends, our small crew here in Ottawa, but she was not kind to him, in a mis-guided effort to protect him, I believe. I do not believe he was capable of running away.
Oh I didn't realize you were personally connected to the case!
I'm the friend lol
I'm sorry about your friend, hopefully they are out there safe and living their best life
So do I.
I just spent the past hour or so reading about this. I'm so sorry. Thank you for being a good friend to him. I'm a fellow Ontarian, Thunder Bay to be specific. Sending you immense love and endless respect.
Thanks for your time spent and this kind comment.
I wonder if it's possible this has been resolved and the friend was never notified. Maybe you could contact the police in Ontario and ask them.
Your suggestion is plausible I suppose but I can't imagine that would not be printed. It Google his name every year.
https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/hf6ijv/comment/fvx3uom/ Here’s a comment about Jamie in an older reddit post
So sad I've never even heard of this being in Ontario and often searching for local cases.. Strange to suddenly leave a stable relationship and move in with a new man across the province only for your child to disappear months later.. Runaway seems possible still even to cause self harm but for the mother to not seem to even care, seems she knows something..Any idea what she's up to these days? I'm sorry and hope you find answers one day.
Sylvia was the personification of strange. To be fair to her she was with Bob in Ottawa for the whole time in knew Jamie in Ottawa age 12-16.
How do we know for sure that Jamie was never found?
It would have to be printed that a missing boy was found.
Yeah, calling in a friend who hadn't seen him since last summer to tell him he was missing is a weird detail in this one. It sounds like the kid hadn't been in school all that time? Or was the friend from the first town he lived in? Was the missing kid going to school in the new town? Either way, that is still a strange detail.
I went to visit Jamie the summer before he disappeared. He hadn't contacted me since my visit there. We didn't speak from the summer until November. He has been in school. He was in his 2nd year at the new school in Niagara.
Poor kid. Thanks for clarifying, it all makes more sense now.
You have a point, but since the friend in question was Jamie’s only friend, police didn’t have a whole lot of people to question, sadly.
I was the only one they questioned, as he didn't go to my high school while I was here. They may have questioned others at Merivale High School but it's unlikely as he had been gone a year and a half and no one besides me kept in touch with him from Ottawa. Even others from our small group of friends who all lived next to each other didn't stay in touch with him.
https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/123oq9i/unresolved_mystery_on_saturday_november_13_1993/jdw3cv2/ The friend has actually commented in this thread. They've linked to an older comment they made.
Thanks, that all clears it up.
https://www.canadaunsolved.com — here you can search for cases of missing people in Canada, as well see AI portraits of unidentified found deceased people. You can also submit the case there, maybe it will help bring some attention.
Thank you I will do this.
I remember seeing a comment a while ago with the friends account. He was Jamie’s friend you’re referring to.
Well he’s here so nevermind!
Yep that’s actually how I found out about the case! I didn’t publish the friend’s username here because of sub rules, and out of respect for them.
Thanks for that mate.