Abduction survivor announces plan to build facility for families of missing people
Gina DeJesus and Sylvia Colon are co-founders with an ambitious plan
CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) -
Gina DeJesus was abducted in 2004 and for 9 long years she was held in captivity before being rescued along with 2 other young women and their story made international headlines.
On Friday in Columbus DeJesus and her cousin Sylvia Colon announced the formation of The Center for Missing and Abducted & Exploited Children and Adults and the goal includes building a facility where families of missing people can gather for comfort, support and resources.
In making an appearance at the Ohio Attorney General’s conference Gina described, in part, her ordeal, “I never lost hope and I got to see my parents on TV and sometimes I had to see my parents on TV with him,” she said. “I couldn’t cry because he got something out of it.”
Colon, Gina’s cousin, admits the family had no idea where to turn after Gina was abducted and it was that experience that led them to formulate a plan to help others, “There was no blueprint, we were on our own and we want to help other navigate through that process,” Colon said. “Gina and I believe in this and we have been planning this for 3 years," she added.
DeJesus and Colon hope to have a board in place by the end of the year and then they will hire an executive director to help them reach their goal. The hope to have the facility built by the spring of 2019.
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