The whole country is thinking of this little boy tonight.

By REBECCA SPARROW

A little boy is missing

A little boy with a cheeky, mischievous grin and twinkling eyes. A little boy who loves his big sister and Spiderman and playing outside in the sunshine. A little boy who could be my little boy.

One minute William Tyrell was playing with his big sister in his grandma’s garden in Northern New South Wales and the next moment he was gone. Vanished into thin air.

That was five days ago.

And for the past five days I have deliberately attempted to block this story out.  The story of a missing little boy.  You see, a few weeks ago I stopped watching the nightly news.  I stopped reading the newspapers – online or otherwise. This year has been so incredibly brutal I just felt – selfishly, I suppose – that I couldn’t take one more ‘bad news story’. One more massacre. One more death. One more devastation.  I suppose what I was doing was sticking my head in the sand.

But a little boy is missing.

And you know what?  Until three-year-old William Tyrell of Kendall in New South Wales is found then I’m not sure I have the right to turn a blind eye, to pretend it’s not happening.

Because if this were my little boy I would want the nation praying for the safe return of my son. I would want the country on high alert. I would want his picture posted a million times; I would want the public to stay vigilant. I would want every good wish and thought sent my way. I would want people to CARE.

So I am.  I will.  I do.

Because we need to find William. We cannot allow what happened to Daniel Morcombe and his parents  Bruce and Denise to ever be repeated.

So we need to care and keep caring until William is found.

And until we do, this is my wish for William.

I wish for you warmth.  Wherever you are, darling boy, I hope you are warm. That you have found a safe place to shelter away from any wind or rain.  Have you made a cubby?  Or found a cave? Wherever you are I hope you can feel your mummy and daddy’s warm and loving arms around you.

I wish for you something to eat and drink.  I am closing my eyes and trying so hard to imagine and hope  – just hope – that you have access to some food and water, little man. An old drink bottle. A sippy cup. A biccie or a sandwich. It strangles my heart to imagine otherwise.

I wish for you strength. Your family have said you have asthma that is exacerbated by stress. So I am sending you strength.

The strength to survive and endure whatever situation you are currently in.  To survive  the dark when you feel so very scared. The strength to hold on. To fight.  The strength to call out if you can. To hold on until mummy and daddy have you back. An entire nation is pulling for you, William.

And for William’s parents I wish for you what I would wish for myself. That your little boy is found safe and well.

Please God let him be found safe and well.

William has been described as being of Caucasian appearance, with dark hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen wearing a ‘Spiderman’ costume.

If you have seen William or have any information on where he might be, please call Triple 0 immediately.