‘Your normal life just gets thrown out,’ Samantha Murphy’s long-time friend Paula Heenan says

Close friends of Samantha Murphy have spoken out after the “bubbly” and “vibrant” mother-of-three seemingly vanished without a trace.

In the days before Samantha Murphy disappeared, she was laughing with friends and spending time with her children.

Then, she seemingly vanished without a trace.

Those who know Samantha well and those close to the Murphy family have shared a small window into the life of a woman they say strived to make others happy.

Someone they believe would stop at nothing to get back to her kids.

Samantha Murphy’s friends say she strived to make others happy.

Paula Heenan has been friends with Samantha for more than 20 years, having met through the Ballarat Centre of Music and the Arts.

Ms Heenan, who works at the BCMA, said the normality of her life was “thrown out” after discovering Samantha had not returned home on Sunday.

“One day we were laughing and joking and waiting for Sam to pick her son up from classes.

“Then the next day we have had this horrific experience,” Ms Heenan said.

“Your normal life just gets thrown out and it will never be the same again for their family.”

Friends say Ms Murphy would stop at nothing to get back to her kids. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Samantha’s children had always loved the performing arts and had been coming to the centre for years, she said.

They see each other every week, chatting and helping the kids backstage at performances.

Ms Heenan said her daughter was a close friend of Samantha’s eldest daughter, Jess, having met through dance school at a young age.

“The children are so well mannered and polite and helpful,” she said.

The proud mother of three was devoted to her children, Ms Heenan said, adding it would be within every “fibre of her being” to come back and see them.

“There’s no way that she would consciously not be trying to get back. Every fibre of her being would be trying to get back to her children.

“There’s no way she would leave them or not being doing everything in her power (to come back),” she said.

A “vibrant” and “bubbly” woman, Samantha had taken to running in a big way only a couple of years ago, finding whatever time she could to go out for a jog.

“Running is definitely her thing at the moment,” Ms Heenan said.

“She would often, even when she dropped the kids off here, she’d (go) for a run while she was waiting for them.”

She said she had been in contact with the Murphy family since news broke on Monday, adding that they were struggling with the many unknowns.

Her husband, Michael “Mick” Murphy, has been described as a “pleasant and self-contained” man.

“They’re a great couple,” Ms Heenan said.

Working together at the Inland Motor Body Works in town, Samantha and Mick are also partners in business.

Proudly lauded on the business website, Samantha is the head of administration and the “backbone of the office”.

“Her roles include: Book Keeping, Finance, Keeping Mick in line as co-owner, plus many more,” the websites’ blurb says. As the search for Samantha moves to its sixth day, it is clear the community in Ballarat, and those that miss Samantha most, have not waned in their hope that she will return home soon.