Overview
April 29, 2004

This short note attempts to describe the experience of receiving KlaasKids help from the perspective of a parent of a missing child.

When my daughter Brianna Maitland (Beyond Missing) was first missing I ran on pure adrenalin for the first week- searching her last known location, talking to neighbors in the area, going to interview anyone with any information in a semi-panic state. I was just about to hit the wall when Brad Dennis called and offered to help organize a search for her. At first I didn’t know what to do, how would we put together such an effort? My decision-making processes were breaking down. I needed help so I just said, "yes, please come".

When Brad arrived, it was as if one of God’s own angels had been sent. I needed someone with a clear head to help make decisions. He is probably the most organized person I have ever met. Right away the police sensed this and I felt began to take our daughter’s disappearance seriously. I soon found out why. Brad knew how to work the press and media to our favor. He then took a few family and friends- and in just hours we had a functioning search center. Everyone arriving eased naturally into some job and very quickly we had what seemed like an entire town looking for our daughter. We searched and covered all critical areas that weekend before snow shut us down. At the search center Brad protected the family from psychics, and well-meaning people who just wanted to cry with us.

The family decided to bring the search headquarters home. At a family meeting, Brad helped us decide what to do next, where to take the search, how to keep media attention, how to function in the long-term search. I cried when he had to go.

The following weekend we conducted another search based a local store and covered some remaining area I felt needed to be looked at. The search was well organized and gave me some satisfaction to know she wasn’t where we looked. For the volunteers and the community, both the searches gave them a vested interest in finding our daughter. We are now raising reward money, and these searchers are jumping at the task of helping us with that.

Brad continues to help via telephone; his calls and ideas jolt me up from despair and spur me on to continued efforts. Thanks to Brad and KlaasKids, I can use the press, move politicians and work with police, handle legal matters, and continue to press on to find my daughter Brianna.

Bruce Maitland,
Father of Brianna A Maitland

There is never a cost for this service.
You can contact the KlaasKids Foundation Search Center by emailing klaaskidssearcher@yahoo.com.

From Kathy & Marcia of the American Red Cross

(Heather Ross – Tuscaloosa, Al)

Thank you so much for coming from Pensacola to participate in the Ross search. You are such wonderful people to do the many things you do for missing children. It takes very special people to give of their time and talents to make the world a better place. Please know that your family will always be in our thoughts and prayers.
 

From Matt Bell (Father of Danielle Bell – Pensacola, Fl)

Just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate all the hard work and effort you and your organization has put forth in the search for my daughter, Danielle. There just aren’t enough Thank’s you to express my gratitude.

From Juan & Mary Jimenez (Parents of Elaine Sepulveda – Oak Harbor, Wa)

Words cannot express the appreciation for all your help and support to find Elaine.  Thank you so much for coming out here to search for our Elaine.  You are a good man with a good heart.  May God bless you always.  We thank God that he brought you into our lives to help us find our daughter.

From Mayor William Barnet III – City of Spartanburg, S.C. (Tamika Huston – Spartanburg, S.C.)

On behalf of the City of Spartanburg and the Spartanburg Public Safety Department, I would like to take this opportunity to say “thank you” for the KlaasKids Foundation’s assistance with the Tamika Huston case.  As you know, this is an ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Ms. Huston.  Since the foundation does not ordinarily conduct searches for missing adults, we are grateful that you took the time and interest to travel to Spartanburg to help in the search for Ms. Huston.

While the two day search did not avail us with any new information, we were able to eliminate numerous possible locations.  This will enable our Investigations Division to focus on other information in the case and, hopefully, in the near future bring closure for Ms. Huston’s family.

We appreciate what the KlaasKids Foundation is doing not only for the children, but for parents all across America.  Our children are our future and we must do all that we can to protect them from becoming victims of crime.