Reuben Micah Lewis was born on November 24, 1970. He disappeared on the evening of February 22, 1991 from Everett, Washington. He was barely 20 years-old at the time. The purpose of this site is to raise public awareness concerning the disappearance of Reuben Lewis. As much information as possible is included to help maximize the possibility of finding him.
(A letter for Reuben from his Mom. This is dated February 17, 2010).
Well, another anniversary is
here of your going missing. I want you to know, I look for you every
day. I look out my front window at the cars sitting in the parking lot
across from our house. Sometimes we go over there and ask them if everything
is alright, but the real reason we go over there is that we have the
thought that it might be you, sitting there watching us, wondering if
you should ring the bell.
When I go to the store, I look
in men’s faces constantly, wondering if the way they look is the way
you would look now. I’ve finally realized that you aren’t 20 anymore,
but I can’t imagine what you would look like as a 39 year old. Sometimes
an awareness of your being gone grips me in the gut and I gasp and bend
over, crying. It usually catches me by surprise. I want to see you so
much. I want to know what you’re doing, who you’re with, that you’re
ok. Do I have more grandchildren somewhere that I’ve never met? A
daughter-in-law?
There is so much more I want
to write, but this venue is pretty public. Oh, well, I don’t care.
I want to tell you what a sweet brother you were to your siblings. I
want to say that I wish God had waited to give you to me until I was
more mature and could be more sweet, patient and appreciative of you
when you were little. I have so many regrets now that I am older and
have learned what children need as they grow up. I was so immature when
you were little. You were wiser than I was so many times. And yes, when
you told me at age thirteen that your goal in life was to “be happy”,
much later I learned you were right! Since then, I have had the opportunity
to reassure many teen-agers that being happy is a good goal in life
– I just wish I would have told you that. And so many times I have
wanted to tell you that, when you were really young and I was being
rigid, fearful, and critical of the TV shows and music you liked, I
was so wrong. Turns out, your shows and music eventually became my favorites,
but by then it was too late to share that with you. And I know I got
you to places late consistently and required things of you that I couldn’t
even do, and that I behaved like a harsh, critical, and negative know-it-all
and that I often didn’t see your good intentions. That’s my biggest
regret of all. If you are out there and managing to find any measure
of happiness despite the awful parenting I dished out, that would be
amazing.
I will always watch for you
to return. I will always hope one day will be the right day and it will
happen just right. And we’ll look back wistfully together at the years
we spent apart and just be grateful to be together again.
Please find a way to let us
know you’re OK.
I love you to the sky, my son,
Mom
(A very special letter just for Reuben from his mom.)
Reuben,
Even though it’s been 18
years, today seemed like the day to write to you.
I want you to know that I love
you very much and think of and pray for you every day.
You continue to be an important
member of our family. Even though you’re not here physically, you
are still an important part of us and our family story.
There is something I really
want you to know. There was NOTHING wrong with you. EVER. There was
a lot wrong with our family and a lot we have worked hard to grow through
and overcome. I regret sometimes that you have not been able to be a
more active part of the ongoing journey we’ve been traveling on together.
But I literally pray to God that wherever you are, whether on the Earth
or in Heaven, that you are growing, learning, finding people to love
and to love you, and becoming increasingly close to your Creator.
I live for the day that we
are reunited. I know that, whatever the circumstances of your disappearance,
it is likely that that won’t happen until we are both in Heaven, but
I can’t tell you how much I look forward to that day. You are precious.
You are beautifully made. And Father and we love you very much.
Mom
Today is Reuben's 39th birthday. As always, his family and friends are in my thoughts and prayers today.
You are missed and loved and thought about every day by so many people. It is my prayer that wherever you are in the world, you are blessed with peace of mind and happiness of heart.
Merry Christmas, Reuben! Your family loves and misses you. Wherever you are, God Bless you!
Happy 37th Birthday, Reuben! Your mom wanted me to relay a brief message asking you to **please** call her and let her know you are alright. She and your dad and siblings love you very much.