KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Ten days have passed since Dr. Teleka Patrick was last seen December 5.
A vigil is planned for Teleka Patrick on Monday, December 16, at Trinity Temple Seventh Day Adventist Church in Parchment, just outside of Kalamazoo.
Patrick’s parents, Mattahias and Irene, are praying for their daughter’s safe return as time passes. “Every hour, every minute, every day makes it worse [emotionally],” Irene Patrick said.
They’re physically and emotionally drained. They flew from their home in Florida Sunday morning and said this is their second trip since Teleka was reported missing on December 6.
“We cannot give up,” Irene said.
“We can’t believe that somebody could just vanish like that,” Mattahais, a pastor, said.
Teleka Patrick, 30, began medical residency in late June at both Borgess and Bronson Hospitals, the couple said. The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office reported Dr. Patrick was last scene in the Borgess parking lot, where someone dropped her off at her car after work.
An Indiana State Trooper found her car abandoned along I-94 in Portage, Ind., later on that same night.
Patrick didn’t show up to work the next day. The early part of an ongoing investigation revealed that Dr. Patrick had disappeared.
“If anybody is holding her, we hope that they realize that she is a person that needs to make contribution to humanity,” her father said.
Patrick’s sister, Tenesha, flew to Kalamazoo from Cambridge, Mass. Her brother, Matthias, came from Queens, NY. Matthais said he’s been in the Midwest since Wednesday passing out flyers. Tenesha Patrick thanked law enforcement for their efforts, and she wants the community to remain vigilant.
“I’ve have my ups and my downs,” she said. “What really kind of keeps me going is my faith in God. I know that He’s with me. I know that He’s with her.”
“Heaven has been bombarded with prayers,” Matthias Patrick said.
They said social media, using the hashtag #findteleka, has been a godsend for their campaign, they said.
“When we went out and started giving out those flyers, people were like ‘Oh yea, I saw that on my Facebook,’” Tenesha Patrick said.
“Keep sharing it. Forward it. Share it. Get the word out. We want everyone to know her face, and know her name.”
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office or Silent Observer at 269-343-2100. Patrick is described as African-American, 5’7, and 160 pounds with black hair.
