Photo from Facebook
Up until just over a week ago, I did not know this man or his family. I saw a chilling update on my Facebook news feed… a re-posted post detailing the beginnings of an investigation for a missing Hamilton area man, named Tim Bosma. “I live here… what’s this all about?” I remember thinking to myself. After reading the post thoroughly, and understanding that a local resident had presumably been “taken” (forcibly confined) – I immediately re-posted the message. Every day, a new post about the search for Tim appeared on my news feed. Every day I re-posted it. I wanted to do my part, as little as it may have been. I mean, who am I? I’m nobody in the grand scheme of things… But when terrible things like this happen it takes MANY people to make a difference, right? I just wanted to do what I thought was right.
After Mr. Bosma posted an ad on Kijiji to sell his truck, he was contacted and visited by two (Toronto area) men who deemed an interest in his vehicle. Tim Bosma left with the two men in his truck for a test drive. He did not return. Hamilton and area police launched a large-scale and intensive investigation, where dozens worked and searched tirelessly for Mr. Bosma. Hundreds of tips poured in to Crime Stoppers. Some headway was being made, although still no Tim. Police apprehended one of the suspects in this case, Dellen Millard (27, from Toronto) who was initially charged with forcible confinement and theft over $5,000 after being arrested on Saturday; however, there are still 2-3 individuals at large.
As the investigation went on this past week I hoped and prayed for Tim, that he was safe and that he would be returned to his family. I prayed for his family that they would soon be holding him in their arms… and that everything would be OK. And I cried…. a lot. My heart was aching so badly for the Bosma family since the news of Tim’s disappearance was first aired. I woke up every morning and searched the news headlines, desperately hoping that he had been found and given back to his loved ones who so desperately missed and needed him. I never saw those headlines though.
This morning (Tuesday, May 14th) police announced that Tim Bosma’s remains had been located; his burned remains. All I could think about was his little girl. Oh my GOD, his little girl…. Without realizing it, I shouted at the top of my lungs: “WHAT HAVE YOU PEOPLE DONE????” My little boy, just slight of 8 months old began to cry. My voice had scared him. I had shouted so loud that I scared my little french fry into tears. I picked B up to console him, and to make sure he knew I wasn’t yelling AT him… and when he calmed down a few moments later it was MY tears that began to flow. My heart broke; I felt so pained for Tim and his family. I held on tight to my little boy, and I whispered to him:
“The world can be a scary, scary place baby. It can be dangerous… and unforgiving. There are bad people in this scary, dangerous place and I pray that you never, ever have to experience any of it. I would give everything to keep you protected from it all.“
Of course, my 8 month old has no clue what I’m saying… but I just needed to say it. I know full well that bad things happen to good people; and although I cannot say that I have felt the exact pain…the exact horror that the Bosma family is feeling right now… I have most definitely experienced something similar – which, in its own weird way has made this whole scary scenario seem that much closer to home for me.
In 2007, my stepfather was out boating on Lake Ontario one evening, something he loved and did frequently. When he didn’t return home at a “reasonable” hour, my mother began to worry… but because there had been many occasions where he returned later than expected, she waited… because he was going to walk through the door ‘any second’. At 9:00pm on that same night, I got a frantic call from my mother… Her voice was trembling, she had been crying. She told me that my step-dad had not yet arrived home from his day out on the boat. Nine o’clock at night was a little too late… my mom knew that. She called the police, who in turn also contacted the coastguard. In a matter of an hour there was a full-scale search launched for my stepfather. By midnight that night, they found his boat – on the opposite side of Lake Ontario from where he normally docked. The boat was adrift; no lights… no sign of my step-dad. The life jackets were all found on board. Where was he? We of course did not want to believe that something terrible had happened to him… we held out hope for almost two weeks… when finally, authorities began to scale down the search. I remember being so angry that they did that. A day or two later, a man walking along the water with his dog found my stepfather’s body washed up on shore. The next morning we were notified. It was a complete nightmare. Two weeks not really knowing what happened… it was like a huge blank in time…. only for everything to come to a very horrific, very sudden end.
So my heart bears a very heavy sorrow for the Bosma family today, just as it has this past week… and will for some time. I pray that ALL those who are responsible for harming this man are found quickly and that justice is served equally as quick. I also hope that as a society we can we can come together, and stay together, to support this family during this difficult time… for as long as they need support in their process of healing.
Doesn’t this all seem so unreal to you? This “stuff” just isn’t supposed to happen. What is wrong with some people? I cannot even begin to attempt to understand how some people will try to justify their actions. This couldn’t possibly be over a silly truck?! I want to be very clear. There is not one single good or valid reason in the universe for one person to harm another. There just isn’t. At the end of a recent press conference, Mrs. Bosma stated “May God have mercy on you.” to those responsible. She is a far better person than I… There shall be no forgiveness for these evildoers.
In honor of the Bosma family, and in support of the continued search for all those responsible for this heinous crime I will be lighting a candle outside tonight, and every night until they are found and brought to justice. Please join me in showing your support. Light the way to justice for Tim.
