A Family Clings To Hope
The Disappearance Of Corrie Anderson — One Year LaterBy Robert Rizzuto rrizzuto@post-journal.com
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Corrie Anderson Missing Poster
It has been exactly 365 days since a missed meeting at her grandson's school started Vicki Acquisto's search for her daughter, Corrie Anderson.
"It's really hard and a year goes by too fast," Mrs. Acquisto said. "It's almost harder now than it was at first because as you keep living, you just can't see where you're going."
Corrie, a mother of three, was last seen at about 1:10 p.m. on Oct. 28, 2008, when she visited her boyfriend at the Lake County Dodge dealership on Washington Street in Jamestown. Her mother reported her missing about 3:45 p.m. that day, when Corrie failed to show up at her son's school for a meeting.
Her dark blue Dodge Caravan was found a short time later in a field not far from her Wellman Road home, and ever since, her family and the community have been looking for answers.
Mrs. Acquisto explained that her family is a close one, and frequently gathers to share a meal in honor of a special occasion. But since Corrie disappeared, they rarely sit at the dining room table they shared for years, because the empty chair where Corrie once sat reminds them of the difficult fact that she is gone.
"As a family, we've gone through every holiday and everyone's birthdays without her and that's probably been the hardest," said Autumn Boardman, Corrie's sister. "I think about her and miss her every day, but on those days, it is a lot harder to maintain. The last time I saw her was at my birthday party, and I can still see her so vividly, even though it has been a whole year."
The New York State Police have conducted several highly technical searches of different plots of land in the area since Corrie's disappearance, although none have yielded the answers for which they hoped.
In April, a private search group, Texas EquuSearch, pledged its support for the family and vowed to spearhead a massive community search, only to pull out days before the scheduled date.
Since then, Indiana-based 3 View Search Services has filled that void, although nothing can fill the void for Corrie's family.
A few weeks ago, a woman's skeletal remains were found in the Allegheny Reservoir near Onoville and dental records ruled out Corrie within a week. But her mother explained that each passing hour during that period of time was difficult and conflicting.
"I had a lot of people asking me if I was Corrie's mother and what I thought about (the discovery)," she said. "It was a difficult time because we want closure but we are also still holding on to the hope that she will come home safely one day."
Mrs. Boardman explained that her sister's absence in her life has changed her and made the things they once shared less enjoyable.
"When I was shopping for my mom's birthday, I wanted to get her something special but I couldn't figure out what to get," she said. "We used to shop together all the time. I stopped shopping and was about to call Corrie, but I couldn't."
She said she often reflects on how she always felt empathetic for the local families who were looking for answers about a missing loved one, but never thought she would be in that same position.
"You never dream it could be you and one day you get a call and your life is forever changed," Mrs. Boardman explained. "I just pray she doesn't become another unsolved case in Chautauqua County. I'll be on the hunt for her until I die."
The family is asking sportsmen and others who might be out in the woods in the region to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Corrie's keys and purse are also missing. Her purse is described as black, 8-inch by 8-inch square, with a GH Bass & Company logo.
Corrie's family is offering a $15,000 reward for information about her whereabouts or information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for her disappearance. The money is in addition to the rewards being offered by local CrimeStoppers agencies.
Anyone with any information about Corrie's disappearance or her whereabouts is asked to call the New York State Police at 665-3113, the Greater Buffalo Metropolitan Crime Stoppers at 856-5600, or the Warren County, Pa. Crime Stoppers at 800-832-7463. All calls will be kept confidential and rewards can be collected anonymously.
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Highlander
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10-28-09 9:31 PM
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I pray for you Corrie family and the others families with missing love ones in Chautauqua County.
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pmdmaz
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10-28-09 7:58 AM
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So very sad, I pray for the family to find Corrie and to find peace everyday.
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