In the spring of 2007, like clockwork, 14-year-old Luke Degneress went to EdmontonSA国际影视传媒檚 Mill Woods Town Centre every day to hang out with his friends.
At that time, that part of the city was better known was Murderwoods for the prevalent crime rate.
One day, he suddenly stopped going.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was strange. He wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 say why,SA国际影视传媒� said his mother Gina.
So after a few days of no answers, when Luke went to shower, she checked his computer.
SA国际影视传媒淗ey, ask your brother for me SA国际影视传媒� how do you join the Bloods?SA国际影视传媒� Luke had typed over instant messenger to an unnamed friend, referring to the street gang.
SA国际影视传媒淏efore he was out of the washroom, ISA国际影视传媒檇 booked us a flight to Prince George (B.C),SA国际影视传媒� said Gina.
***
It had been a tough time for the family, explained Jolene McDonald, LukeSA国际影视传媒檚 older sister.
Jolene, now a grade school teacher living in Yellowknife, was born in Fort McPherson. She and Luke share a mother, Gina.
Gina and Luke visited Fort McPherson, where their extended family is from.
Luke lived with his father in B.C., and at GinaSA国际影视传媒檚.
At that time, Jolene was living with her boyfriend in Edmonton and Gina had just given birth.
SA国际影视传媒淭he home was stable but all attention was on Jade (the newborn). I think Luke had been at his motherSA国际影视传媒檚 for 11 days before Jade was born,SA国际影视传媒� said Jolene.
Jolene described Luke as a SA国际影视传媒渢ypical teenagerSA国际影视传媒� who had an independent streak, but they were close nonetheless.
When their aunt came to town, the two siblings got matching eyebrow piercings.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was like a family event,SA国际影视传媒� Jolene laughed. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a memory I will have forever.SA国际影视传媒�
***
When Gina, Jade, and Luke arrived in Prince George, things werenSA国际影视传媒檛 much better.
Gina and her family fought and they struggled to find housing.
SA国际影视传媒淲e lived out of suitcases at my sisterSA国际影视传媒檚 house.SA国际影视传媒�
Luke started skipping school and failed a grade.
On June 7, 2007, about three months after theySA国际影视传媒檇 moved to Prince George, Gina and Luke met with his schoolSA国际影视传媒檚 vice-principal so they could plan to get his studies back on track.
SA国际影视传媒淚 remember it was raining when we were getting ready. Luke said he wanted to walk,SA国际影视传媒� Gina said.
SA国际影视传媒淗e said: I have to tell you something, I have a decision to make. And ISA国际影视传媒檓 thinking heSA国际影视传媒檚 14, how big could it be? I said we could talk about it on the way back.SA国际影视传媒�
After the meeting, Luke was excused back to class while Gina and the vice-principal finished up.
When they checked the classroom about 20 minutes later, Luke was gone.
She has not seen him since.
SA国际影视传媒淚 still think about what he wanted say.SA国际影视传媒�
***
With a newborn in tow SA国际影视传媒� Jade was only nine months when Luke went missing SA国际影视传媒� Gina canvassed the streets.
SA国际影视传媒淚 went to malls, the streets SA国际影视传媒� everywhere SA国际影视传媒� looking for him,SA国际影视传媒� she recalled.
There were rumours and alleged sightings of Luke stretching to downtown east-side Vancouver.
Over a year after he went missing, a Victim ServiceSA国际影视传媒檚 counsellor told Gina that her daughter had seen Luke sleeping on a discarded couch behind her house.
SA国际影视传媒淭here was another Luke, the same age, in Prince George that would often be mistaken for my Luke,SA国际影视传媒� said Gina.
Over the years, her mind has looped with possible scenarios.
SA国际影视传媒淗e had carried raw hamburgers in his backpack; he couldSA国际影视传媒檝e been attacked by bears?SA国际影视传媒� she speculated.
Her anxiety wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 helped by a Facebook post a girl left on his page, something to the effect of: SA国际影视传媒淩IP Luke. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 what you get for fSA国际影视传媒榠ng around with us!SA国际影视传媒�
Gina said the contacted the person who posted it and dismissed it as a prank.
SA国际影视传媒淚 want to talk to those girls,SA国际影视传媒� said Gina, adding that she may apply to find their names in the records. SA国际影视传媒淥r, miraculously, theySA国际影视传媒檒l hear or read this and reach out to me.SA国际影视传媒�
The case went cold for a few years until 2014, when a man called the Missing Kids hotline and claimed to be Luke.
According to Gina, the operator thought it was actually Luke.
But now she says, SA国际影视传媒淚 think it was someone trying to ease my pain.SA国际影视传媒�
The man never called again.
***
The disappearance of Luke Degneress is unusual, according to national statistics.
In 2021, there were 28,033 reports to the of missing children in Canada. Sixty-seven per cent of these reports were removed in 24 hours and 92 per cent within a week.
SA国际影视传媒淟uke Degneress has been missing now for 15 years, and we continue to search for answers for his family. LukeSA国际影视传媒檚 mom has missed out on the opportunity to watch her son grow up, something no mother should have to go through,SA国际影视传媒� said Lindsay Lobb, support services manager with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P).
SA国际影视传媒淲e wonSA国际影视传媒檛 stop searching and sharing his pictures until his family knows where he is, and what happened to him,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
June 7 is especially hard for Gina, whoSA国际影视传媒檚 a youth worker in Edmonton.
SA国际影视传媒淚 hate today, today is June 7th, the date he went missing,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e got my daughter and I have work, but today and his birthdays are the worst.SA国际影视传媒�
For Jolene, it reminds her of the little brother sheSA国际影视传媒檚 missed all these years.
A year after Luke went missing, Jolene gave birth.
SA国际影视传媒淔or that time my focus was there, reality didnSA国际影视传媒檛 sink in. I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 process it for years,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淣ow he is at the forefront of my mind and in my heart. ISA国际影视传媒檓 still looking for him.SA国际影视传媒�
At the time he went missing, Luke was 5-foot-8 and around 140 pounds, but heSA国际影视传媒檇 have grown considerably since then. He has brown hair and brown eyes.
Information can be reported to the , missingkids.ca online or by calling 1-866-KID-TIPS (543-8477).
Tips can also be logged at MCSC.ca or on crimestoppers 1-800-222-8477 anonymously.
