Underneath the soft fall of snow they stood, quietly, with their heads bowed.
Around them several candles shone a flickering light onto the pictures of a young man with a wide smile. After a few moments a blonde woman with a scarf bound tightly to protect her from the cold of Edmonton’s first snowfall began to speak.
“If love alone could build a bridge we would build a bridge to Dylan and bring him back home to us. It is said that ‘love is the bridge between two hearts,’ tonight may love build a bridge from our hearts to his,” Melanie Alix said.
Alix — standing on the spot her son was last seen — then lead the small but dedicated group in prayer.
Dylan Koshman was last seen on Oct. 10, 2008. (Edmonton Police Service )
On October 11, 2008, at about 2:30 a.m. her 21-year-old son, Dylan Koshman, stormed out of his home after a fight with his roommate. His family has been looking for him ever since.
They handed out leaflets, made posters and, at times, posted billboards asking for information about Koshman. Eight years later, they have received plenty of tips, but no answers.
‘The pain is still as strong as it was the day we found out he was gone, that is why we want peace so badly, we want to find answers.’ – Melanie Alix
To this day the mystery of what happened to him endures.
Every year, just before thanksgiving, the family and friends of Koshman make the trip to 34 Avenue and Calgary Trail to hold a vigil for the missing man. They are still looking — both for him and for answers.
“We make this trip to hold a vigil in his honour and to remind people that he’s still missing and to pray to god that we find him,” she said.
“The most important is getting his name and face out there again and maybe someone that knows something, that has some small memory that isn’t significant to them, it would make a world of difference to the police.”
Melanie Alix, her face lit by candlelight, reads at the vigil for her missing son. (CBC)
The last memory that Alix has of her son was seeing him at her birthday celebration in 2008. They chatted, he sang happy birthday to her and told her how much he loved her.
“Even though it’s bittersweet I was glad we had such an uplifting conversation, even though it was the last one we had.”
“The pain is still as strong as it was the day we found out he was gone, that is why we want peace so badly, we want to find answers.”
Barring new information or a break in the case the group will be back next year, raising awareness for the long-lost man they miss so dearly.
“We’re not going to lose hope, and we will continue to make this journey for him to Edmonton until we have answers.
“I’d give anything for it.”