McDonald

McDonald

CLARKTON — Three balloons will be released on Friday here on the one-year anniversary of Brandon McDonald’s disappearance. Dena Cox, the missing man’s mother, said the three balloons are a way to say “I love you” to her son.

McDonald, 35, went missing on March 25, 2021. According to previous reports, he was last seen leaving his Clarkton home, but his cell phone last pinged in the Laurinburg area of Scotland County. His 2003 Ford F-150 pickup, however, was later found wrecked and abandoned in Hope Mills.

Back in October, McDonald’s sister Shannon Russell said the previous six months after McDonald was reported missing were a “pure nightmare” for the family.

“Just not knowing where he is or what happened to him,” she said. “We’ve been in agony and wanting answers and desperate for answers.”

In December, Gov. Roy Cooper’s office announced that the state is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the disappearance of McDonald.

Not long after, the Community United Effort group, which has been working with the family, built a billboard in Clarkton giving information about McDonald’s disappearance. It will be at the site of that billboard where the family and others will gather Friday.

“The mayor of Clarkton (Tim Tart) owns the land where the billboard is and donated for that use,” said Monica Caison, founder of CUE. “But this event is an effort to keep Brandon’s story alive and we’re hoping for a good community turnout.”

Caison also said there have been posters about the event placed throughout a wide area — from the beach to Cumberland and Scotland counties.

Cox said she had a reason for using only three balloons.

“Rather than a lot of balloons being released, I wanted to do cups of birdseed,” Cox said. “Those balloons would come down and could be a hazard to animals.”

Cox added that, in addition to the balloon release and birdseed drop, the event will include a special prayer, the song “You Keep Hope Alive” sung by Dawn Watts and a poem reading.

“This isn’t going to be a celebration,” she said. “It’s just a way for us to keep the case alive.”

The event will be held at 527 W. Green St. in Clarkton starting at 1 p.m.

W. Curt Vincent can be reached at 910-862-4163 or [email protected].