I'm new. I'm about to make a few posts, and share my thoughts on this case (which I didn't hear about until Monday, and I've spent literally every waking moment outside of work catching up on).
I've read every post, and the first thing I need to say is Thank You.
I've been with this for 5 days. I'm sad and angry and confused and doubting humanity. Many of you have been here for 10 weeks, and I can't begin to imagine what that's been like.
It's a thank you to WS itself for existing.
It's a thank you to the mods, your tireless efforts in keeping this site "safe" - preventing it from becoming a tool in thwarting justice. Some may feel the rules are cumbersome and stringent, but they do have value.
I was really touched that you also go to all the effort of maintaining a different thread so that family can stay up to date without having to see speculation - I'm a huge believer that the mind can only contemplate what it's capable of handling. Your own worst case scenario thoughts are challenging enough - but add into that mix the worst case scenarios from a variety of people from different backgrounds and different walks of life - (which is one of the reasons why WS is magnificent - so many different angles, opinions and insights) could be quite hard to bear.
So thankyou for that. Someone's signature here is that we are all one bad decision away from ending up a thread on here rings true, and I'm really really touched that the extra effort is made to protect, but still inform family and friends.
To the members - for being civil, intelligent, and not afraid to admit when you're wrong, or incorporate and analyse new facts when they come to light. That you can respectfully disagree and still work towards the common goal of finding the missing! For giving your hearts and thoughts to a stranger. For loving her from afar.
The best way I can articulate my amazement is if I wrote it into a job description.
HELP WANTED
Responsibilities: Fall in love with a child you've never met.
Disseminate and demystify information from a variety of sources, ensuring to stay out of legal grey zones.
Bear witness to the best and worst of humanity.
Be haunted by her picture. Dream of her. Think her name every few minutes or hours.
Pay - zero.
Time commitment - at least 12 weeks. Emotional commitment: lifetime.
There are not many people who would take that job. But you all do, time and time again.
The tireless mapping, timelines, verifying things for newcomers who haven't read all the previous posts (and I must say on Monday I didnt anticipate it taking this long to get caught up - so I understand why some don't) the prayers, the care love and support to the family.
There are too many people to name individually, but thank you nonetheless. I don't want to miss anyone here so I won't try to name names but I need to give a special shout out to GGE with the transcriptions. I'm on the other side of the world. Geo-restrictions prevent live streaming and shows don't air here. Without your efforts my understanding would have enormous gaps and misconceptions.
And ACR for getting the official documents out there.
The "insiders" from the press, and the family - thank you for taking the time to be here too. Your contributions and clarifications are so important.
I have been lurking on WS for several years. There were a few high profile Aussie cases where threads on here helped fill in the gaps of MSM as Australian law has a great deal that is not publishable.
I've been back regularly recently, because I'm haunted by a photograph in MSM that relates to a NSW missing person. It's just a property photograph - it just resembles a dark dark place from my past - not clearly identifiable, but this hunch is there in my gut since April and I can't let go of it (even though my psychologist has told me to drop it, it's 99.9% unrelated and a bunch of properties would be the same.)
So I was checking for updates there. Trying to see if there is a little something more to make me make that call and not come across as a nutter. And I found this thread - and even though I haven't been here 10 weeks - not even 10 days - it's the case that made me join. And I will see it through until Elaina is home.
I've got a late/ early so I might not get through all I want to say before the need for sleep claims me, but at the very least this is a bump for a little girl who has already claimed a part of my heart.
