Creating a Missing Persons Support Network for Tyler

TYLER, Texas — It's hard to imagine losing a loved one, it's even harder to imagine losing a loved one.

For Alexandra Ashcraft, that became her reality a little over a year ago when her sister Courtney Martin disappeared near their grandparents' home on County Road 42.

Nearly a year later, there is no new information on her sister's fate. However, a quote from a documentary inspired Ashcraft to remain hopeful for her sister.

“He said that when a case goes sour, the only thing that can keep it relevant in the media as well as everyone else involved in that community is for your loved one to advocate for them and help to raise awareness,” Ashcraft said.

Ashcraft took it a step further, not only did she create a platform to advocate and publicize her own sister's situation, but she also created a platform where anyone missing a family member in Tyler can to access.

“We address the fact that any time a family member goes through something like this, it's incredibly hard, it's difficult. The feeling of being alone is something I've experienced myself, and therefore being able to let all those family members know that they “We're not alone, that there are other people who are in the same situation as them,” Ashcraft said.

Reactions from the families of these missing people are pouring in and they are certainly grateful.

“Many family members have reached out to me and thanked me for bringing these cases back into the spotlight or offering them resources,” Ashcraft said.

Ashcraft's group is currently located in Tyler, but she says if there was additional interest, she would expand the group's reach throughout Smith County, and potentially beyond.

“I started focusing just on Tyler because there were such a large number, but obviously when I started looking outside of that area, the number of missing people in Smith County is astronomically “It's not just in Tyler, Texas, it's in Smith County that we're facing this crisis,” Ashcraft said.

The Ashcraft Facebook group can be accessed here.