All About the Blanchard's

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

March 8th a day I don't forget.

Matt this time posting. Something much less fun and much more factual...
So I posted on my FB page the other day about the 25 year anniversary of my dads disappearance . I had an overwhelming response to it, and I thank each of you for your kind words. I also got a lot of questions, and I am sure a few people really didn't know what to think. I know most of my close friends have heard this before, but for those of you that were shocked to hear this news I think I should give the background...

The short version of this story goes something like this...
In 1984 my dad was working in Houston near Loop 610 and I10 on the east side of Houston. We lived in Nederland which is about 60 miles east near the TX/LA border. He commuted to work every Monday morning and stayed in a makeshift apt in his office at work till Friday evening when he would come back to Nederland. This wasn't a permanent thing, he had don it before off and on, and sometimes worked for the same company in Nederland. But as of Gods hands that Friday night March 8th 1984 he was in this situation.

My dad called my mom told her he was coming home on Friday. He never made it there...
The details are a little hard for me to remember since I was 8. But I do remember waking up to my mom feverishly calling everyone she new looking for him. She called the Harris county Sheriffs office to report him missing, but as you see on all the detective shows you have to wait 24hrs after the initial report before law enforcement will do anything. One of my dads long time friends was a Sheriff Mark Domain in a nearby town (Groves, TX) He dedicated much of his police force to start looking for signs of him along the stretchers of roads between Houston and Nederland. (since Houston police were absolutely no help) By the time Sunday had come around everyone was very worried. The Harris county sheriff basically had said since we couldn't confirm that he was even in Harris county when he disappeared, they couldn't do a lot more than put out an APB for his truck and description...

The main theory at first is that he had gotten sleepy and drove off the road somewhere. It was late, a little foggy that night, and as many of you know there are tons of marsh and wetlands along that drive. So much that my whole family in full force were in cars, trucks, john boats, air boats you name it looking for him.. Nothing was ever found...

Some other theories were that he just left, wanted to become lost... I don't even take that into consideration. His cloths were still in his office. Credit card has never been used. The truck, and his pistol that he carried have never surfaced. Everything about it points to him just Vanishing.

My theory,
My dad was a kind soul. He wanted to help anyone anytime. I can remember many times picking up hitchhikers on the way to the lake stopping to help people with car problems. Anything he could do to help. I have a feeling that he either saw something he shouldn't have seen, or picked up someone who he shouldn't have. They probably overpowered him and "got ride of the evidence" I know that this sounds morbid and terrible to think of, but I have no other explanation.

To this day I wish I had some concrete answers, but there is non to be had. I check the NAMUS database for unidentified bodies in the Houston Beaumont area fairly regularly. I have been saying for years that I want to sit down with Mark Domain (who ended up being a county commissioner) and review the case. It just all seams a little to difficult to swallow. I guess I will never know.

Anyway sorry so somber, I just figured saying this once and letting you all read it was much easier than retelling the story 100 times.
Matt

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Snow Day 2010

Maddie had so much fun in the snow and Lil did not enjoy the cold. She refused to wear gloves or mittens so her hands were freezing! Maddie and Delaney had a great snowball fight and we made a little snowman that is still standing this morning!

Here are a few pictures!