Mother of missing man Nazrawi Woldemichael searching for answers

It is almost four years since a Hobart teenager vanished without a trace, but his mother has not given up hope that one day he will walk through the door and end her pain. Read her story >>

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HIRUT Weldemicheal has not given up hope that, one day, her son will walk through the door of her home on Hobart’s Eastern Shore.

Nazrawi Samson Woldemichael — or “Naz” as he was often known — has been missing for almost four years, after last being seen on October 9, 2016 at the Eastlands shopping centre.

Ms Weldemicheal is among of dozens of Tasmanian families searching for answers and their stories are being highlighted as part of National Missing Persons Week.

On September 22, 2016, she invited her son to dinner, but he cancelled their plans and she never heard from him again.

“He just vanished. I don’t know how it can be,’’ she said.

“I think of thousands of scenarios, and it doesn’t make any sense.

“For me, it’s still October 9, 2016, because there’s nothing to be solved.

“I’m still standing there. I didn’t move. And I wish I can move, but I don’t know how to move.”

Hirut Weldemicheal holds a picture of her son, Nazrawi Samson Woldemichael, who has been missing for nearly 4 years. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

On that day, Nazrawi had left his unit at the Trinity Hill youth supported accommodation complex in North Hobart.

Ms Weldemicheal said her son, who was 19 when he went missing, was a talented artist and had come to Tasmania from Kenya in 2004 with his family as a refugee.

The family is originally from Ethiopia.

She said Nazrawi, who has two siblings, had suffered a head injury in 2014 in a car accident and had not been the same since.

Ms Weldemicheal said police had been in regular contact with her over the years as they too searched for answers.

“They are really fantastic. They never tire of me and answer all my stupid questions,’’ she said.

Anyone with information about Nazrawi’s disappearance should phone police.

POLICE KEEP HOPES ALIVE

THEY are the small but dedicated team of police officers tasked with investigating the state’s missing persons cases and helping families desperately searching for answers.

The work of Tasmania Police’s missing persons unit is being highlighted as part of National Missing Persons Week, which runs from August 2-8.

Sergeant John Delpero, who heads up the unit and works on the cases alongside Constable Claire White and other officers as required, said there were currently 169 active missing persons cases across the state.

Sergeant John Delpero and Constable Claire White. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

The unit’s ultimate goal is to solve each and every one of them, Sgt Delpero said.

“It’s important we remember all of them, not just the few cases we are profiling during the week,’’ he said.

“My message to the families of all our missing persons is that the case remains open — it may not be active and ultimately there comes a time we’re reliant on fresh information, but our aim is always to locate them.”

Sgt Delpero said the solving this year of a historic missing persons case — a man who was last seen in Tasmania in 1990 — was proof that mysteries could be resolved decades on.

Following a review of the circumstances of the man’s disappearance, and with the help of mainland colleagues, he was found alive and well interstate. “He was actually apologetic,’’ Sgt Delpero said.

He said the man was one of six missing Tasmanians that had been found interstate this year alone.

People went missing for a variety of reasons, including health, misadventure and, in some cases, foul play.

Speaking with affected family members at one of the most stressful times of their lives was one of the most challenging parts of the job, Sgt Delpero said.

“They are left with a whole lot of questions and understandably they want answers,’’ he said.

“It’s a very stressful time for families and I’m sure I speak for all police officers when I say there is great satisfaction in reuniting people with their family so those stresses can be eased.”

Police are preparing for an influx of calls as historical missing persons cases again hit the headlines for a week of national awareness.

And Sgt Delpero has this simple message for anyone who may be able to help solve any of the state’s 169 cases.

“On behalf of the families of these missing persons, if you have any information, no matter how small, on any missing persons, please let police know,” he said.

“Any information, no matter how small it may be, this is really the time to step up and contact police with information.”

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