Opinion: The agony of the missing

Missing man Nigel Peterson. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

This week we are following the stories of two Rotorua men, who, at the time of writing, are missing.

The circumstances surrounding the disappearance of 33-year-old Nigel Peterson - an autistic man who took off, apparently confused, while moving homes - and a 24-year-old Rotorua man lost at sea after a boat capsized, could not be more different.

Yet in both cases there are families and friends waiting, hoping beyond hope and struggling to come to terms with what has happened.

Around New Zealand there will be families who have been living this limbo for years, not knowing what has happened to their missing loved ones.

Like many around Rotorua this week, I have been checking my property for any sign of Nigel. The odds of him being in my backyard were minuscule, but, at the risk of stating the obvious, he has to be somewhere.

In my time as a journalist I have been involved in covering many human tragedies. The story of Nigel has hit me in a way others haven't.

My heart goes out to his family, caregivers and those that loved him. Not knowing where he is, what state he is in or what the outcome of the search will be must be devastating.

As the days pass, hopes inevitably fade, but I continue to dare hope for Nigel to come home.

For the family of the young fisherman, there will also be anguish. Again, we hope, they too get to bring him home.