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The Search for Rachel, a father's journal

Saturday, February 1, 2003

Today was a very sad day for the United States and the world. The space shuttle Columbia blew up over East Texas while re-entering the atmosphere. My heart goes out to the families of the seven astronauts who were killed.

Sunday, February 2

The nation is still in a state of shock today. Yesterday's crash of the space shuttle Columbia is a hard thing to comprehend. I have always been a strong supporter of the space program, and I think we should continue it after any problems are corrected.

The counters of Rachel's web sites seem to be messed up. The counters use a service provided from another site. If they don't correct themselves soon, I will find another counter supplier.

The counters do not reflect the true usage of the site. The statistics gathered by Lone Star Internet show that rachelcookesearch.org had 6,069 visits in December, 2002, and 10,197 visits in January, 2003. That's quite an improvement. Visits are defined by unique persons/computers visiting the site. Even if a person looks at multiple pages, only one visit is recorded. Daily usage was up to 328 visits per day last month.

All of the statistics add up to one thing. Rachel's story is spreading. Keeping the web site updated is one of the few things I can do to help bring Rachel home. I wish I could think of more things that would help.

Monday, February 3

We may have to delay the concert announcement until next week. I would like to have the bands commit to the date before I finalize the flyer. The donation request form also will have to wait.

I've had a few people request a news link page be added to rachelcookesearch.org. This is a good idea, but it will take some time for me to put it together. People can visit kvue.com and the other television stations and do a search for Rachel until the news link page is created.

A talk show e-mailed me today and requested that I contact them. Maybe we can get Rachel's story on national television, and perhaps another guest who will be on the show can help us. I'll write more about this after I contact the program's producer.

Tuesday, February 4

I ate lunch with friend Lisa and sister Elaine today. We discussed plans for the April concert. Lisa knows several people who might volunteer or donate items for the silent auction.

Texas EquuSearch and other search teams in Louisiana found the body of missing Colleen Dawn Price. Ms. Price is believed to have committed suicide. It's a sad story.

My friend Debra from Grand Rapids, MI, is almost finished with three 30-minute videos she made about Rachel. We will be supplying the tapes to public access and other television stations throughout the nation.

Wednesday, February 5

Some boy hacked into rachelcookesearch.org and replaced the home page with his own childish page that has a list of other boy and girl hackers on it. Maybe someday that boy will realize the error of his ways. Until that day, he will hide out in his room, hoping someday he can have a relationship with someone using his real name and it doesn't require the Internet.

Now it is time to get back to finding Rachel and the other missing people. Too bad "boy" can't find something to work on which will benefit mankind in some way.

Thursday, February 6

The security hole on the server which contains rachelcookesearch.org is fixed. No hackers should be able to get in now. It turns out the hacker came through a software application a different web site uses on the server.

I joined the Wings of Protection web site. The site was founded by the mothers of murdered Chandra Levy and missing Dena Raley McCluskey. Its mission is to supply emotional support and healing for families with missing loved ones who disappeared under suspicious circumstances.

The Williamson County Sheriff's Office will be giving my wife Janet and me a briefing tomorrow morning. I hope they can provide us with information about the leads they have been working on the last two months.

Friday, February 7

The Sheriff's Office briefed my wife Janet and me today. They investigated one tip for over two months. The information turned out to be false, and it led to a dead-end. Law enforcement is now pursuing a tip received in January. We have learned not to get our hopes up on any of them. Too many of the leads go nowhere.

I still hope to have everything approved for the Music for the Missing Concert by Monday. We need to begin working on getting donations and posting concert announcement flyers. A donation for a one-week condo stay in Hawaii has already been received.

Saturday, February 8

I have been in contact with a national television talk show this week. By the end of next week, I should be able to announce details on the program. We are always trying to keep Rachel in the public eye. We don't know where they took her, and it's important to get the word out nationwide.

I heard some sad news today on missing 13-year-old Laura Ayala from Houston. An arrest has been made in Houston of two males suspected of killing several older teens and adults. When the suspects' van was searched, law enforcement collected samples of blood found in the van. One of the blood samples matched Laura's DNA. This does not look good for Laura and her family.

Sunday, February 9

Sundays are usually the day I try to relax. I caught up on my e-mails and other tasks. There was even some time to work in the backyard.

Bill Bickel posted the transscript of my chat on the Crime and Punishment web site. The chat took place on January 13, 2003, and the transscript may be read here.

Monday, February 10

We are ready to announce the Music for the Missing Concert the end of this week. Announcement flyers will be distributed throughout Central Texas and in other areas.

I spoke with Tim Miller, the director of Texas EquuSearch, today. He was spending the day in the TES office getting caught up on things. His organization has been extremely busy conducting searches the last two months.

Tuesday, February 11

I flew to New York City this morning. Tomorrow I will be a guest on the MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW. The program will be taped tomorrow and shown at a later date. I will post the date it will air as soon as I find out.

New York City has a lot of snow on the ground, but the streets are clear. The temperature is in the lower 20s. Montel's staff put me in the Mayflower Hotel right across from Central Park. It's a really nice hotel.

Wednesday, February 12

A lady from Montel's staff met two other families of missing persons and me at the hotel this morning. A cab took us to Montel's studio. We went through the make-up and hair process just like when I was on THE JOHN WALSH SHOW. The taping began at 2:00 p.m.

Psychic Sylvia Browne was Montel's guest. After the viewing of a short video on each missing loved one, Ms. Browne told us information about what she felt. Some of the information was hard to take, but the families have been through worse.

I will go into more detail about what Ms. Browne said and who the other guests are when the show airing is announced. This will give each family a chance to check on any possible clues Ms. Browne gave before the information is made public. Whether or not any of the information Sylvia Browne gave on Rachel is real, it doesn't really matter. Montel has an audience of 3 million viewers. I want those 3 million to know about Rachel's disappearance.

My plane left New York at 5:30 p.m., and I arrived in Austin at 9:45 p.m. It was another long day.

Thursday, February 13

I received a nice thank you e-mail from the MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW today. They have set a preliminary air date for the program with Rachel, February 26, 2003. In Austin, the program airs on KXAN at 2:00 p.m. Please check his web site for the television station and broadcast time in your city. http://www.montelshow.com/misc/where_2_watch.htm

The Music for the Missing Concert will be Sunday, April 6, 2003, from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. The concert will be held at Dallas Night Club. I really want to thank Dallas for donating the use of its club that afternoon. The bands playing at the concert will be announced soon.

Volunteers will be passing out donation forms for the concert's silent auction. For information write to: rachelaert@yahoo.com. All proceeds from the event will go to Texas EquuSearch and Travis Country Search and Rescue. These two organizations help bring home the lost and missing people of Texas.

Friday, February 14

I e-mailed more Music for the Missing concert donation forms today. The more people we have collecting the donations, the more items we will have to auction off.

So far Al White and the Chaparral and The Dave Jorgenson Band have committed to play at the concert. Al White wrote RACHEL'S SONG, so my wife Janet and I are very excited he will be there. We are working to get a nationally known artist to come, if possible.

A $75,000 reward is now offered for tips on the Louisiana serial killer. I'm glad to see the people of LA coming together to find this creep. He cannot continue to rage terror in that state.

Saturday, February 15

I finished the Music for the Missing Concert flyer today. The flyer has been e-mailed to several people who will post it around Central Texas.

A concert web page has also been added to rachelalert.org and rachelcookesearch.org. These two pages will be updated as new bands join the concert and new auction items are donated. I also created a Music for the Missing logo which appears on both web sites.

Sunday, February 16

Yesterday I received a package from the MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW which contained all of the video and pictures I sent them on Rachel. I will hold on to the contents, and hopefully I will be able to send it to another national program.

Monday, February 17

I received an e-mail from missing Erika Dalquist's family. A man was arrested last month for abducting her but was later released due to lack of evidence. If the man is guilty, I hope law enforcement there can prove it soon. Erika's family needs some kind of closure.

A member of Al White's staff also e-mailed me. I confirmed with him that everything is set for the concert on April 6. He will pass out flyers in the Houston area, as will Texas EquuSearch members.

I received a request from my brother David. One of his Sunday School member's sister and her sister's family were believed to have been murdered by her brother-in-law. The FBI has issued a warrant for his arrest. See: www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/fugitives/fisher.htm for more information. Please notify the FBI if you've seen Robert Fisher.

Tuesday, February 18

Several more people e-mailed me and volunteered to help with the concert. People should be seeing a lot of Music for the Missing flyers posted soon.

I received a children's safety education presentation from Beth Alberts, the CEO of Gabriel's Gifts, today. It's very well done. The presentation shows how most children are abducted within two blocks of their homes. I guess this shouldn't surprise me because Rachel was taken that close to our house.

Yesterday I did a telephone interview with a Baton Rouge television station. There is now a $75,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the serial killer in that area. The reporter asked me my opinion.

Wednesday, February 19

A body was found Sunday afternoon in Southeast Travis County. Yesterday the body was identified as a male in his 30s. This must be the seventh or eighth body discovered in Central Texas since Rachel disappeared. Every one they find is painful for us.

I finally finished creating the media/news link page on Rachel's web site. It contains links and videos from various news sources on Rachel. To see the links click here.

Thursday, February 20

I added the ability to download the Music for the Missing Concert flyer to the concert announcement page on rachelcookesearch.org. This allows individuals to easily print and post the flyers. Acrobat Reader is required to download.

Due to legal and tax issues, I have begun looking at ways to form a not-for-profit Rachel Alert Network corporation. The not-for-profit status will make it easier when we hold future fundraisers.

I am about halfway through evaluating the child safety game SITUATIONS. I promised the inventor of the game I would have my complete evaluation to him by next Monday. The abduction cards included in the game are excellent. So many times adults tell children to be quiet and not make noise. When a child is being abducted, yelling, screaming, and making other kinds of noise are the best things a child can do.

Friday, February 21

All of the initial directors and officers are in place for the new Rachel Alert Network not-for-profit corporation. I will submit the corporation application early next week.

Work is continuing on the Music for the Missing Concert. There are volunteers in Central Texas, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Houston distributing and posting concert flyers. I'm glad we moved the concert to Austin. I think everything will be easier, and a larger audience will attend.

Saturday, February 22

I completed my review of the SITUATIONS game. I think the game can really help a lot of parents teach their children how to be safe. I like the way the game cards are marked for different levels of training. Some of the cards are too graphic for preteens. A parent can easily omit the cards marked with red when playing the game with younger children.

Tomorrow I will type up my endorsement of the SITUATIONS game. The game should certainly be included in a child's education process.

I should be receiving the RACHEL'S SONG videotapes this week. A woman in Grand Rapids, Michigan, spent a lot of time putting together a music video with RACHEL'S SONG, videotape, and pictures of Rachel. I can't wait to see the finished product.

Sunday, February 23

I wrote my endorsement of the SITUATIONS game today and e-mailed it to the inventor of the game. I will bring my copy of the game to the Music for the Missing Concert on April 6. I added a link on rachelalert.org to a web site with more information about SITUATIONS.

Monday, February 24

Tim Miller, the director of Texas EquuSearch, called me today. They have received a new lead on the Opal Jennings disappearance. Six-year-old Opal Jennings was abducted in 1999. There will be a search in the Fort Worth area this weekend for Opal. The search center will be announced this Thursday on texasequusearch.org.

I ordered 50 invitations for the Music for the Missing Concert. We will send the invitations to families of missing persons, volunteer organizations, and others. Everyone is invited to the concert, but there are a few people we want to personally invite.

Wednesday The MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW will air the program on missing persons on which I was a guest. In Austin the show airs at 2:00 p.m. on KXAN.

Tuesday, February 25

Tomorrow the MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW featuring missing persons will air. I flew to New York City two weeks ago for the taping of the program. The show will give Rachel's story more national attention. To see the station and time it airs in your town click here.

A performer from California left me a voicemail last night. She is interested in the Music for the Missing Concert. Her sister disappeared in Nebraska a few years ago, and she has done several benefit concerts for the missing. I left her a message to call me.

Wednesday, February 26

The MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW aired today. They played the only part where I lost my composure three times; two of the times they ran it were in promos. As with any of the national media, we are trying to get Rachel's story out to as many people as we can. Maybe, just maybe, a viewer will call in the tip which brings Rachel home.

The information Sylvia Browne presented has been collected, and we will look into the parts that seem relevant. After speaking with over a dozen psychics, I always take their information with a grain of salt.

Thursday, February 27

We received some good news today. RunTex has agreed to sponsor the 2003 Run/Walk for Rachel. The 2002 Run/Walk for Rachel generated over $10,000 for Rachel's reward fund. This year, we hope to generate similar funds for the Rachel Alert Network to aid families of missing persons and to support missing person agencies and search organizations.

Several e-mails and phone calls have come in today. Most of the people who contacted me watched the MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW yesterday. Rachel's story received a lot of national exposure from Montel's program.

A lot of people are asking what we have done with the information Sylvia Browne gave me. I have turned all of the information over to the Williamson County Sheriff's Office. We have also been in contact with some of Rachel's friends in San Diego to see if this "Bill" really exists.

KXAN News interviewed me this afternoon about the MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW. The interview was broadcast on their 5:00 p.m. news. I also spoke with a reporter from the WILLIAMSON COUNTY SUN. She's not sure if they will run a story on the Montel program.

Friday, February 28

We are still receiving tips about the three sketches released last year by the Williamson County Sheriff's Office. All of the people in the sketches have been found and talked to. Everyone can forget about them. I will probably add a message on the home page of rachelcookesearch.org about the sketches.

I talked to Dallas Night Club and the bands this morning. We discussed details for the April 6 Music for the Missing Concert. I wanted to get everyone on the same page.

My friend Kelly and I started working on a list for the 2003 Run/Walk for Rachel. All of the logistic issues need to be identified so we don't forget anything. We only had a couple of problems with last year's run/walk. I will try and make sure those problems don't recur this year.