Friends and family of Sydney West gathered in Southern Village for a vigil celebrating the missing woman as the search continued into its 15th day.
West, originally from Chapel Hill, has been missing since September 30 in the San Francisco area, where she lives with friends.
“The best thing that we can do is raise awareness and really try to drive up the volume for our search,” said her father, Jay West, “and let as many people know as we can that can see her and report information to the tip line that’s in San Francisco, at the police department.”
At the vigil on Thursday, organizers passed out flyers with West’s photo as well as face masks with #FindSydneyWest on them. Dozens of people attended the vigil in person at Southern Village and hundreds more attended virtually via a Facebook Live stream.
A former student at the University of California-Berkeley, West has been living in the San Francisco area since late August. Her last known location, according to authorities, was downtown San Francisco near Chrissy Field, close to the Golden Gate Bridge. She has been entered into NCIC as a missing person and San Francisco police transferred her case to the Missing Persons Section of the Special Victim’s Unit.
Jay West, who was emotional while reading his speech, reflected on his relationship with his daughter.
“My love affair with my oldest daughter started the day she was born. I was a nervous dad, really nervous. I was in the room with this woman right here,” he said, referring to his wife Kimberly, “She’s given birth to my oldest daughter, and I watched her eyes open and that unconditional love was cemented in my heart. And it has been cemented in my heart from that day to today and will be cemented my heart forever.”
Also known as “Syd,” Sydney West is described as being 5-foot-10, weighing 130 pounds and possibly carrying a black backpack. She’s believed to have last been wearing as potentially wearing dark leggings and a teal sweatshirt, with her light brown hair in a ponytail or bun and wearing Vans shoes.
San Francisco authorities can be contacted at a 24-hour tip line at 415-575-4444. Authorities encourage anyone to call if they have information regarding West’s current whereabouts or activity on September 30.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone in North Carolina who may have had recent contact with her to call Investigator Ashley Woodlief at 919-245-2909.
Jay West finished his speech by talking directly to the camera live-streaming the event, hoping that his daughter would be among the hundreds listening virtually.
“Find your way home, find your way home to us,” he said. “The thing that I want most is I want you back in my arms and just to squeeze, baby squeeze the half-life out of you. I just want you to know wherever you are that we love you.”
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