On the 17th anniversary of their daughter’s vanishing, Madeleine McCann’s parents have released an emotional update.
Three-year-old Madeleine vanished under mysterious circumstances from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007.
Her disappearance has puzzled authorities and the public alike, with her family pledging never to stop searching for answers.
Kate and Gerry McCann have now shared a poignant message on the 17th anniversary of Maddie’s disappearance.
Madeleine McCann disappeared from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, a resort in the Algarve region of Portugal, on the evening of May 3, 2007.
At the time, she was just three years old.
Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, had left Madeleine and her twin siblings asleep while they dined at a nearby restaurant with friends.
Upon their return, Madeleine was missing, sparking a global search and a media frenzy.
The Portuguese authorities, along with international help, launched a massive investigation.
It quickly became one of the most extensive missing person searches in history.
Early investigative errors and a tangle of theories, however, impeded progress.
Despite the case becoming a major international media event, Madeleine’s location remains a mystery.
The case has ignited widespread media attention and numerous theories and speculations.
Despite countless leads and investigations, no definitive evidence has been discovered about what happened to Madeleine.
The case has sparked controversies and conspiracy theories, with scrutiny on both the investigation and the McCanns themselves.
The media’s role, police procedures, and witness statement reliability have all been hotly debated topics.
The investigation is still active, and her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, continue to push for their daughter’s case to be resolved.
The McCanns have been vocal advocates for the case, pushing for renewed investigative efforts and maintaining the ‘Find Madeleine’ campaign.
Seventeen years have passed since Madeleine McCann’s disappearance, yet her story continues to grip the world.
On this anniversary, Gerry and Kate McCann have once again spoken out.
For Kate and Gerry, the years since Maddie’s disappearance have been a profound test of faith and resilience.
Kate, deeply religious, has struggled with feelings of abandonment by God since her daughter’s disappearance.
In her 2011 book, ‘Madeleine’, Kate shares: “There have been many times when I’ve felt God has deserted me or that He has let Madeleine down. I’ve occasionally doubted His existence altogether. And yes, I’ve been angry with Him…”
However, she finds comfort and strength in her faith.
“For now, though, at least, my anger towards God seems to have subsided. I believe in Him and I still feel His presence.”
Kate also discusses her struggle with intimacy after Maddie’s disappearance.
In her memoir, she wrote: “The first [problem] was my inability to permit myself any pleasure, whether it be reading a book or making love to my husband. The second stemmed from the revulsion stirred up by my fear that Madeleine had suffered the worst fate we could imagine.”
Recently, Detective Constable Mark Draycott revealed a significant breakthrough.
A voicemail left on a Scotland Yard answer machine led to the identification of a prime suspect, Christian Brueckner.
In 2017, Brueckner’s former associate Helge Busching provided crucial information that reignited the investigation.
Detective Constable Mark Draycott, involved in Operation Grange, a £13 million probe into the Madeleine case, shares (via the Mirror): “One of my jobs was to check the answer phone messages. On May 18th I checked the answer phone and there was a message.”
“It was from a male by the sound of his voice, he spoke good English and he asked to speak to David Edgar (private investigator). He said he had information and he left a Greek mobile number. I then rang this Greek mobile number and spoke to a male I now know to be Helge Lars Busching. He referred to himself as Lars and he gave information in relation to the Madeleine McCann investigation.”
Draycott’s findings were shared with German and Portuguese authorities, leading to further investigations into Brueckner.
In a touching development, Kate, a trained doctor, returned to the NHS frontline amid the COVID-19 crisis, which she says has helped her cope with her personal trauma.
A source told the Sun: “Kate’s back working as a doctor. She’s helping out at her local hospitals now and not doing any surgery work. She has thrown herself back into a full time job to assist others in need. There’s such a demand for qualified medics during these unprecedented times.”
Kate and Gerry also have twin children, Amelie and Sean, who are now 19 years old.
Last year, Madeleine’s sister Amelie joined her parents and supporters at an anniversary event, 16 years after the disappearance.
“It’s nice that everyone is here together but it’s a sad occasion,” she remarked at the event, before lighting a candle for her missing sister.
And now, the McCanns have shared another heart-wrenching update.
Madeleine McCann’s parents have expressed how deeply they still feel their daughter’s absence in a touching tribute on the 17th anniversary of her disappearance.
In their latest update, they share: “It’s 17 years since Madeleine was taken from us. It’s hard to even say that number without shaking our heads in disbelief. Whilst we are fortunate in many ways and able to live a relatively normal and enjoyable life now, the ‘living in limbo’ is still very unsettling. And the absence still aches.
“Your support continues to encourage us and bolsters our strength to keep going. We know the love and hope for Madeleine and the will to find her, even after so many years, remains, and we are truly thankful for that. Thank you again for remembering Madeleine and all missing children.”