Hundreds gathered Saturday night in the shadow of St. Albert Place for a candlelight vigil of hope as the search continues for a missing St. Albert couple.
The vigil drew more than 250 people to downtown St. Albert and featured speeches, music and prayers for the safe return of Lyle and Marie McCann, an elderly couple now missing for more than three weeks.
People wrote notes of hope and encouragement to the McCanns on a message board that also featured pictures of the couple with their family.
The sentiments ranged from the empathic: "Be Strong,” to optimism: "We know you are out there somewhere,” along with pleas like: "Come home soon to be with your family and friends. You are loved dearly!”
Some notes even evoked warm memories: "Can't wait to have more pie, come home soon.”
The McCanns have not been seen since July 3 when Lyle was captured on surveillance video filling up the couple's motorhome at the Superstore Gas Bar.
The motorhome was towing a Hyundai Tucson SUV. The couple was on its way to meet family in Abottsford, B.C. on July 10, but never arrived.
Their motorhome was found burned and completely destroyed on July 5 at a campground near Edson, but the police only launched an investigation after the couple was reported missing on July 10.
Marlene Glebe, the McCanns' neighbour who helped organize the vigil, said they wanted to help the family through a difficult time with a show of support.
"We wanted to do something that would be helpful and positive and this just seemed like the logical thing to do,” she said. "We really want to support the family to let them know that in our community and our neighbourhood we will be there for them any way that we can be.”
Bret McCann, the couple's eldest son, said the outpouring of support was overwhelming.
"We have always loved this community and it has always been home for us. The support that you are showing here for our parents is very, very meaningful to us.”
He said his parents would be astounded.
"This display of love and support is just massive I am looking forward to telling them about this someday, and I hope that I can tell them about it someday soon.”
The couple's granddaughter Nicole Walshe said the vigil raised her spirits.
"It was a really hard day for me and I came her feeling really low and it was really overwhelming,” she said, "and now I am feeling very uplifted.”
Walshe said the family has received an enormous amount of support through the website and Facebook page they set up to help with the search, but the vigil had a different impact.
"It is way more powerful. You are hugging strangers that you don't know and you can see their eyes are welled up with tears and you can really see the impact it has had on people.”
With several TV cameras trained on him, Bret appealed to anyone who might know something about his parents' whereabouts to come forward.
"Someone somewhere has information that will complete this jigsaw and help us find my parents,” he said. "If you have any information that could help, please contact the police.”
The Tuscon SUV was light green with an Alberta licence plate ZPK-289. Their motorhome was a 1999 green and white Gulfstream.
Bret concluded his remarks with a promise the family would never give up.
"The porch lights are on and the candles are lit, showing mom and dad their way home,” he said. "Mom and dad if you can hear me we will not stop searching for you until you are found.”