A candlelight vigil was held at Harrison-Caver Park in Clearwater on Saturday night for Jamilla Shanaé Smith, a 30-year-old woman from Aiken County who has been missing since Dec. 2.
The vigil was organized by The Broken Link Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reuniting missing persons with their loved ones.
Leading the gathering with prayer and scripture was Karen Pride, a Lowcountry mother whose 19-year-old son has been missing since June 19.
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick,” she said, quoting Proverbs 13:12 from the Bible. “If you can hold on to hope, I believe you can get through anything.”
Pride, who hadn’t previously met Smith’s family, drove “over 200 miles” to lead the night’s vigil, inspired to share her hope with other families in similar situations.
“I would say to Jamilla that she is loved,” Pride said. “There’s an abundance of love for her. She is not lost … and I believe with the faith I have that Jamilla, you’re coming home.”
During the vigil, Smith’s father, Jame Smith, asked everyone to raise their candles into the air, saying it was what he believed his daughter would want.
Smith’s family members chose not to make any comments to the media.
The family continues to offer a $5,000 reward to anyone who can provide information about Smith’s whereabouts.
Smith’s ex-boyfriend, Daniel Gabriel Harmon of Beech Island, was arrested Dec. 5 and charged with kidnapping and second-degree domestic violence in relation to her disappearance. He was charged with murder in the case on Dec. 23.
