Aurora Father With Terminal Cancer Wants Answers, Closure Over Missing Daughter

The Aurora family of a 50-year-old woman who has been missing for more than three weeks is holding out hope.

Robin Ford, whom her family describes as free-spirited and adventurous, had been living on a sailboat with a friend off the coast of Key West, Florida, since January, but her family has not heard from her since last month, the Aurora Beacon-News reports. The last contact her family had with Robin was on Aug. 27, when she called her son, and the last time she was seen was on Wisteria Island in Key West Harbor on Aug. 29.

The stress over Robin’s disappearance is not the only difficulty the Ford family is faced with right now.

Robin’s father, Herb, 83, has terminal cancer. Her sisters, Stacey Ford and Tamara Sanchez, have returned to Aurora to help their father and are also now keeping in touch with the Key West police regarding Robin, a graduate of West Aurora High School and Aurora University, according to the Aurora Beacon-News.

Stacey and Tamara are also working to get the word out about Robin’s disappearance through the media and have been providing updates and taking tips regarding possible sightings of Robin on the Find Robin Ford Facebook page, which currently has more than 400 fans.

Ailing Father Wants Closure Over Daughter's Disappearance

Family is “everything” to Herb Ford. He and his wife, Lois had 12 children and spent their lives raising all of them in a large three-story home on View Street in Aurora, according to the Aurora Beacon-News.

As Herb deals with the physical pain from his terminal illness, he is hopeful he will see his daughter again but is not convinced she is alive.

"I can't grieve until I know. ... We just need some closure," Herb Ford told the Aurora Beacon-News. "We need to know what happened to Robin."

Details on Robin’s Disappearance

The last time Robin was seen was around 3 a.m. on Aug. 30 in Key West. She was supposed to be in court later that day but never showed up. She also did not show up for a flight she was supposed to take on Aug. 31.

A warrant was issued for Robin’s arrest after she did not show up for her Aug. 30 court hearing for a misdemeanor DUI charge, according to press release from the sheriff’s office in Monroe County, Florida.

Police are talking with Robin’s family and acquaintances and have been getting the word out in the media regarding Robin’s disappearance.

Robin’s sister, Stacey Ford, told the Aurora Beacon-News her sister was responsible and resourceful and would not, under normal circumstances, go this long without calling her family.

"She cares about our dad too much to just vanish without a trace,” Stacey Ford told the newspaper.

Robin Ford is described as a white female who is 5 feet, 6 inches tall. She weighs 125 pounds and has no tattoos or noticeable scars. She has brown hair and blue eyes.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police at 305-293-7475. Collette Ford, Robin’s sister, is also taking tips regarding Robin’s disappearance at 850-377-8797.

More via the Aurora Beacon-News and the Find Robin Ford Facebook page

Photo credit: Monroe County Sheriff's Office