Friends, family and community members offered support by gathering for a candlelight vigil in Coggin Park to pray for a missing Brownwood woman Friday evening.
Coworkers and their families organized the event to help each other cope and to offer support to 38-year-old Michele Reiter’s family. Her 18-year-old son Ty Reiter and 12-year-old daughter Alexis Reiter came from Hodges, Texas to be a part of the service.
Her son, Ty, thanked everyone in attendance for their support and stated that this year has been a very hard year for him and his sister.
“Recently, our dad had two strokes and we almost lost him. This summer our granddad passed,” Ty explained. “So it helps to know that so many care about our mother, this means a lot to us.”
Organizer Heather Meyers stated that her friends and coworkers believe that she is truly missing and not just gone. She explained that a lot of things were going right in Reiter’s life and that she was doing well.
“We know she’s missing, not just gone. She was promoted six months ago and was doing well with her life and at work,” said Meyers. “She did just come out of a relationship and we are worried.”
Meyers encouraged the crowd to support those who are looking for her, such as law enforcement, and those who are left without her. She also asked anyone with information to come forward because an insignificant thing to them may be a “needed piece of the puzzle” in finding Reiter.
Coworkers stated that Reiter has worked at Home Depot for approximately 4 years, working up from a checker to a department manager in a recent promotion.
“She was going to go with us to a cashier competition in Weatherford on the 23rd,” said coworker Betty Jones who had also been her supervisor when she worked at the checkouts. “She had changed her schedule so that she would go with us.”
Other coworkers describe Reiter as a bubbly person constantly talking and laughing.
Jones explained that Reiter posted everything about her life on Facebook and not having anything posted for days just makes them worry more.
“We miss her, we have nobody to pick on,” joked a coworker named Evelyn.
Michele Reiter, 38, was reported missing Tuesday morning after her roommate noted she had not returned home the night before, according to a Brownwood Police report. Reiter is an employee of Home Depot and also did not show up for work the following day. Brownwood Police confirmed the discovery of the missing Brownwood woman’s vehicle Wednesday evening at the Bert Massey Sports Complex.
Meyers explained that many media sources have published small articles about Reiter’s disappearance along with friends and family sharing a flyer with her picture and information. She stated that days ago, when Reiter disappeared, her name was hard to find on Google but now it is in the top two and her image appears. She is also on most of the missing persons websites.
Meyers encouraged her friends to pray for Reiter’s safe return but also to learn to be kind to one another, tell people you care about them, that you love them, and let others know what they mean to you because you never know if you will see them again.
The event was closed in a prayer asking God to bring Reiter safely home and to give her friends and family answers of just what happened to Reiter.
