"Because Every Missing Person, Doe, and Their Families Deserve Closure"

Traycie Sherwood, the Doe Network member and adminstrative staffer

Though she herself does not to have a missing loved one, she became horrified by the number of missing persons after surfing the site. She was also shocked by the does that filled the indexes. "I absolutely could not believe the numbers. Everyone of the cases listed has someone somewhere that cares about them and is worried."

She wondered "What could someone like me do to help". She was assured by the group that there are people from all walks of life that are Doe Network members, both law enforcement and non-law enforcement that all contribute to the group and she like them could make a difference.

Traycie stated: "In my 'real job' I do quite a bit of investigating and really enjoy it. My law enforcement friends tell me that I missed my calling." Like most of our members, Traycie has a knack for thinking 'outside the box' and is great at looking at a situation objectively. These skills as well as her amazing attention to detail and ease with Law Enforcement soon led to Traycie assisting with and eventually taking over as the Area Director for Missouri and Oklahoma soon after.

Traycie's view of the situation. "The work that we do is of major importance. In my 'real job', I have a great understanding of law enforcement being overwhelmed and understaffed. I look at it like this: If we, as a group, have the time to research other sites/cases and are able to narrow down the field of possible matches for law enforcement, and are able to provide feasible matches for them to investigate further, then we need to do just that. It's unfortunate that the matches we provide involve another human being losing a friend/loved one, but it allows for those close to the missing person to have closure. They are able to bring their loved one home, give them the proper burial they deserve. It's a type of healing process for them; everyone deserves to have closure. I must admit though, that there is a great deal of frustration when a match doesn't pan out."

Traycie is complimentary of her fellow volunteers that she now considers friends. "In the short time that I have been a member of the Doe Network, I have come to make some very good friends. We chat, either on the phone or via messenger, and bounce ideas off each other. It's a true team concept. If anyone is ever in a 'pinch', someone is there to offer assistance."

Being adopted at birth Traycie is familiar with searching for a loved one and was lucky enough to have found her birth mother in 1996 , and the Doe Network has even become part of their relationship. "My birth mom, who is my best friend, has become much more aware of missing persons since I joined the Doe Network. I received a call late one night from her, after Without a Trace was over. She was very excited because the little girl they showed "looked a lot like Precious Doe". I had missed the end of the show but researched until I found out which child they previewed. I called her the next day to tell her that she had already been ruled out. She sounded disappointed."

"Becoming a member of the Doe Network has been a wonderful experience for me. If I had to sum up why I joined the Doe Network in one sentence, it would be "because every missing person, doe, and their families deserve closure."

In true Doe Network form...our members bring their personal and professional experiences to the table to help others.

Thanks Traycie for being one of our many "unique individuals" that brings a special caring to the cause.