“It’s getting real close to Christmas – although I’m not at all in the Christmas spirit,” Regina Sykes said in her latest Facebook Live recording on December 20.
Her recordings come every couple of days, usually while she’s seated in her car. What used to be a personal page that shared snapshots of her family life – like hundreds of millions of other users – has now become an outlet for her to update concerned citizens on her unimaginable family tragedy.
Regina’s daughter Monica Elaine Sykes, 25, has been missing since October 27.
While many have been immersed in the joy of the season, the Sykes family has been vigilant in their work to keep Monica’s story in the public eye and in their efforts to bring their beloved daughter home.
Next week several local artists will gather in Monica’s name for “A Night of Hope and Prayer.” The benefit concert – presented by the Mildred Thimes Foundation, The Divas Social Club and Special Tymes Banquet Hall – will take place 6:30-9:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 28 at Special Tymes Banquet Hall, 5950 Natural Bridge Rd. Featured artists include Denise Thimes, Herman Gordon, Phillip Graves, Anita Jackson, Adrienne Felton-King, John King and Gerald Warren.
The show was spearheaded by the Mildred Thimes Foundation, and Sykes is grateful for the opportunity to fellowship with the community of people who has rallied behind their family in this trying time.
“Even in times where we feel we are in complete darkness, there is still hope for the light,” Regina said about the show. “Thank you, Denise and Deb Thimes, for extending yourselves to our family in support of finding our baby girl.”
Young, black and missing
October 27, 2016 was like any other day for Monica Sykes – until she didn’t come home.
As she walked out of the house, Monica told her older sister she would return shortly – she even promised to come back with candy for her nephews. She left home without any belongings except for her cellphone. Sykes missed her work shift the following day and has not been reported seen since. Next Tuesday will mark two months since Monica disappeared.
“I don’t know what she’s going through, and that just tears me up because I don’t know what could be happening to her,” Regina said. “I try not to think of that. I just try to focus on seeing her sweet little face again and hearing her joke around with me.”
Her story has been featured on both local and national news outlets, most recently Dateline NBC’s “Missing in America” segment.
The family has purchased four large billboards across the metro area with Monica’s face and physical description on them. They are planning to get bus signage as well. Reward money for information leading to Monica’s recovery has been raised from $5,000 to $20,000.
On Tuesday, December 20, Regina met with families of other missing teens and young adults in the hopes of pooling resources and galvanizing for the sake of bringing them all home.
“We are trying to form something that’s more cohesive and strategic to help find these children and young adults,” Regina said.
The purpose of the meeting was to get organized as a group with the intention of keeping the police engaged and making sure that the stories of their missing loved ones don’t fade out of the spotlight.
“We really need to do something different, and I’m really struggling right now because Monica is normally my helper with stuff that I’m doing,” Regina said. “I keep hearing her in my head saying, ‘How can I help? How can I help?’ I have to be able to not only find my baby but help find other people’s babies as well.”
Monica is 4’11” and weighs approximately 100 pounds with a thin build, brown eyes, and dark brown hair in long braids. She has an “M” tattooed on her upper right arm and the name “Leonard” written in cursive tattooed on her left shoulder blade.
“We are desperately searching for her and are hoping for a Christmas miracle,” Sykes’ aunt Muriel Smith told The American.
A Night of Hope and Prayer, a benefit concert for the Sykes family, will take place 6:30-9:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 28 at Special Tymes Banquet Hall, 5950 Natural Bridge Rd., St. Louis, MO 63120. There will be free food with the $20 donation for admission. For more information about benefit concert and tickets, call 314-773-0337.
For information about the volunteering with the search party, visit the “MISSING: Monica Sykes” Facebook page.
