I don’t know how many of you are from the St. Louis area and remember 11-year-old Shawn Hornbeck. He disappeared while riding his bike in rural Washington County, MO in October of 2002. They never had any clues in his case as to what happened to him, they just recovered the bike he was riding. His name, pic and step-father were plastered all over the news for a long while after. His step-father and mother set up a foundation in his honor to help other parents whose kids went missing. They also recently set up a fingerprinting campaign in his name.

On Monday, another little boy, Ben Ownby, disappeared after getting off his school bus in rural Franklin County, MO. He was 13 and the only clue anyone had was a neighbor boy who saw a white truck speeding out of the area right around the same time.

Yesterday afternoon, both were both miraculously found together and alive in an apartment in Kirkwood! I can’t imagine, as a parent, having to go through what Shawn’s parents went through for 4 years and 3 months…it’s just a miracle! My heart goes out to the two boys and their families and what they will be going through as a result of the kidnappings.

UPDATE: The family of Shawn Hornbeck held a press conference at 8 this morning. The kid that is Shawn, looks nothing like the age-progressed picture that the family & media was circulating. It’s just amazing!