About Our Daughter Nadia

March 11th, 2012

Nadia 

Hello everyone,

Today I’d like to talk to you about issues concerning our missing daughter Nadia that may have caused confusion to many who knew her either in passing or who may have spent some time with her.  As you know, Nadia was adopted from Russia almost 20 years ago.  At the time we didn’t know of the trauma and neglect she suffered during her life there.  Over the years and after seeing numerous doctors and therapists we learned Nadia suffered abhorent conditions in Russia including severe and continuous abuse and neglect.  We eventually learned she had brain dysfunction, memory and emotional issues, and more.  Taken collectively Nadia dealt with many overlapping issues simultaneously but was not considered disabled.  Shy as a child, she eventually learned to become more outgoing and to make people feel at ease with her.  She was determined to be as independent as possible, dreaming of a career as a chef.  However, traumatizing childhood experiences continued to plague her throughout adulthood.  I’d like to take a moment and speak briefly about some of them.

Nadia had difficulty with confabulation and lying, a characteristic of yet another disorder she came to us with from Russia.  She lied often but she didn’t necessarily know she was doing it and much of it eventually became habitual.  She made up and/or changed stories to help fill in the voids of her life in an attempt to make her Russian upbringing seem more socially acceptable and also as a strategy to survive in a world she viewed as threatening.

Nadia was extremely impressionable and vulnerable to suggestion from others as well.  Many times, with enough repetition, those suggestive thoughts became the truth to her, confusing her world even more.  Nadia spoke a lot about maddening abuse and neglect, subjects she was personally familiar with given her horrific life in Russia.   Many people have talked about her in terms of being painfully truthful for she was very convincing.  In an attempt to solicit assistance and empathy she began to tell stories blurring the edges of what happened in Russia and her life in America. Her dearest friends who have known her for many years and understand her limitations know how terribly confused Nadia was during her stay in Alabama. My apologies if her stories mislead anyone.  Nadia could not and did not understand possible ramifications or long term effects of fabricating events and factititious storytelling.

In terms of her relationships with men, she moved quickly from one to another thereby avoiding her fear of commitment.  I can only imagine how this may have caused jealously among her male partners.  I’d like for you to understand Nadia could not comprehend cause and effect relationships and so could not connect how her uninhibited and many times impulsive actions could lead to hurtful feelings on behalf of someone else.  She just didn’t have that capability.  I’m so sorry if her actions caused anyone heartache.  There was no malicious intent on her behalf.

Nadia strived to be the best mother she could be to her infant son.  She desperately looked for Mr Right in her life although she knew she could not commit to a lifetime relationship.  She did all she could to “fit in and be normal” (as she would say).  She loved life and was devoted to her baby son.  In terms of her relationship with God she believed she was “saved” and did all she knew given her capabilities to follow the Lord’s word.

We’re thankful for those of you who have read this through. We hope you’ll go away with a clearer understanding and appreciation of who our daughter Nadia was. She was a very confused, gentle soul who wouldn’t intentionally hurt anyone. We want you to know she did everything she knew to make a better life for herself and her son. We miss them both terribly.

Just prior to Nadia’s disappearance, we had not seen Nadia for a couple of years as we were stationed overseas in Guam and our respective military positions did not allow much flexibility for travel back to the mainland of the US.  We did fly back to see family members who were terminally ill.  One of them, my brother in-law, passed away while we were in Guam.

While in Guam we sent Nadia money and gifts and we talked numerous times each month.  Things seemed to be going well for her.  Nadia was afraid of long flights so we agreed to wait until we returned to the mainland to get together.  We moved back to the mainland and were unpacking our household goods shipment when we received the call (three days after she disappeared and her son already given away) that Nadia had been reported missing.  We had just received a phone call from her the day before she disappeared.  She was expected home in three weeks with the baby…a much anticipated reunion for all of us.  But as you all know that didn’t happen.

Please if anyone has any information regarding her whereabouts or if you have any information about what may have happened to her, please contact us through this website.  Your comments will be kept confidential.

We continue to have grave concerns about our grandson (Nadia’s son) who is not home with his family.  Nadia would go mad knowing this.  We are extremely worried about him.  If anyone has any information about his status, please, please contact us through this website.  Again, your comments will be kept confidential.  Thank you all who have already responded.  Your comments and information will help build a better future for him.

Thank you all kindly.  We’re so grateful for your suppport.

Our love and God’s blessings to you all!

In Christ,

Nancy

As Valentine’s Draws Near

February 3rd, 2012

Hello everyone,

Searches lead by the Walker County Search and Rescue team continue for Nadi.  As many of you know we will continue our efforts to find her as long as leads come in to us.  The rescue squad has new equipment and is excited to begin using it.

In Nadia’s disappearance, case we’re still waiting for outstanding DNA analysis results from the FBI lab.  Some test results are already in but more work still needs to be done.  We hope to hear more within the next couple of months.

Once again we ask if you have any information regarding Nadia’s whereabouts or if you have any information about our grandson (Nadi’s 4 y.o. son) please contact us through this website.  Just register and send us a message.  Your personal information will be kept confidential.

For Nadia and our grandson, Happy Valentine’s Day!

In His Love,

Nancy

A call for Help for our grandson

January 12th, 2012

As many of you know we’ve been worried about our grandson since his mother Nadia’s disappearance on November 3, 2008.  Today again we ask for your help.  If anyone has information that can help us help him please come forward and let us know.   Any little piece of information is extremely important.  We worry about him beyond belief.  Please if you have any information…if you care about him, it is absolutely crucial for you to let us know.  Please contact us through this website.

In Christ,

Nancy

A New Year

January 5th, 2012

Hello everyone,

It is with great sadness that I write all of you who have supported us along the way.  After over three years our family was finally given an opportunity to visit with our grandson (our missing daughter Nadia’s son) over the New Year’s holiday.  As many of you know we are the only family he has.  We all looked forward to his visit with great anticipation.  John and Charlie (Nadia’s 10 year old brother and 5 year old sister) helped get the house ready for his arrival selecting cars, trucks, trains, a bike and helmet, a special race car bed they had been keeping ready in hopes of him coming home to us.  They helped lay out a plan to visit the zoo, attend the movies, go bowling, ride bikes and unwrap Christmas presents together.  However amidst all the excitement and anticipation, our grandson’s separation from us (since his mama went missing on November 3, 2008) has taken its toll.

As we face 2012 I want you all to know our family is committed to doing all we can to help him.  We are a family of peace and wish no one upset or fear in this process.  Our focus is on continuing to love and help our grandson even if it has to be from afar.

In the new year we plan to continue our search for our daughter Nadia with new equipment and renewed hope.  This weekend the SAR team is gearing up once again in hopes of finding evidence of her whereabouts. I will ask once again if anyone has any information about where she might be, please contact us through this website.  Just send us an email.  Your information will not be shared unless you give us your permission.

His Love, Grace and Mercy to you all in this new year!!

Nancy

December 15th, 2011

Hello everyone,

Our family is preparing for the celebration of Christmas and once again it is without our daughter Nadia who disappeared on November 3, 2008 and her son who was lost to us at that time as well.  We ask you not to forget them and keep them in your hearts as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is with your continued support that we proceed in our search efforts to find our daughter Nadia. It is with your continued support that we proceed with love and commitment to try and bring our grandson home.

We love our grandson dearly and miss him everyday. We want him home with us as Nadi had planned before she vanished. Since then we have not given anyone our blessings to provide a home for him nor adopt him.  Nadia will always be his mama…no one could ever take her place.  I can only imagine as a little boy he’s confused and lost in a complicated Alabama system.  It must be a terribly frightful human experience for anyone to endure…we worry about him endlessly.  Please hold him close and pray the Lord will bring him safely home soon.

Proverbs 12:20 encourages the promotion of peace. The writer of Proverbs says, “Truthful lips endure forever.” We remember and keep these messages in mind as we continue in our efforts to find Nadia and bring our “little man” home…these efforts are what we believe are right and good in the Lord’s eyes.  As a Christian mother, father, grandmother, grandfather I believe you would all be called to do the same.

Bless you all and your families.  We hope your Christmas will be filled with wonderous joy and profound peace!!

We look forward to a new year in hopes of reunification of our family!!  Praise be to God!!

In His Name,

Nancy, Kevin, John and Charlize

Remembrance for Nadi

December 3rd, 2011

Best Friends

Hello everyone,

What a wonderful remembrance there was for Nadia in celebration of her life.  As most of you know she disappeared three years ago on November 3, 2008. The remembrance was held at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on November 5th with the coming together of about 50 of Nadia’s family, friends and supporters.  We were so blessed to have Nadia’s closest friend Jacquie join us.  She shared some of the most touching words about her…it warmed our hearts and left us teary eyed.  The photo is of her and Nadi at school.  Jacquie and Nadi graduated high school together and remained close until Nadia disappeared.  Nadi is blessed to have such a dedicated and loving friend.  Thank you all for coming, especially those close to her.  Nadi would’ve been very touched.

On Veteran’s Day (November 11th) the military customarily holds a ceremony setting a table, an empty place for missing veterans, those missing in action and those who have died, reminding us of their great sacrifice so we can have the freedoms we possess in this country.  As we watched the ceremony we’re reminded once again of Nadi and her son.  This year as in the past three we set our Thanksgiving table and leave two places empty in their absense and honor.  

We ask you all not to forget our daughter Nadi and her son.  We ask you to lift them up in prayer.  We pray for the darkness to be lifted, we ask for protection and safety and we ask for the courage to more forward.  Our pastor reminds us that “courage is an aspect of hope we don’t often dwell on.  We think of the possibilities of hope, the desired outcome of hope, even the distractions of hope that are often a diversion in the midst of diffcult moments.  Courage…is vital to hope, for it sustains the dream when all else fails and empowers meaningful action when settling for so much less would be much easier.”  I believe as Christians we’re called to come together in this effort of intersessionary prayer.  We especially ask you to devote a special time for our daughter and grandson until they can come home to us.  

In His loving Grace,

Nancy

Third Anniversary

November 3rd, 2011

Hello everyone,

Today marks the third anniversary of our daughter Nadia’s disappearance.  May the Lord bless and keep her.  May He shine His face upon her and give her Peace.  We love and miss her so very much!

This Saturday family and friends will gather at 12:00pm in Birmingham, Alabama for a remembrance and a celebration of Nadia’s life.  Her friends and family friends are traveling from out of state to be here.  We look forward to sharing stories and beautiful moments of Nadia’s life with each other through good food, fellowship, pictures and music.  For those of you who are unable to come we ask you to lift Nadia up in prayer at noon and remember her as someone who loved life but  still remains missing.

It has been three years since Nadi went missing.  If anyone has information about where she is or maybe has heard rumor about where she may be, please contact us through this website or contact her search team, Central Alabama Search and Rescue at (205) 915-8936. 

Thank you all so very much for your continued support and prayers.

In His Love,

Nancy for all of Nadia’s family who love her very much

A Call for Help

October 6th, 2011

nadia-009.jpg

Hello everyone,

For weeks torrential rains had saturated parts of the Birmingham, AL area and dampened search efforts for our daughter Nadia.   We’re finally back on track to resume planned searches for her.  We’re forever thankful for the professional volunteers who have devoted their time away from their own families to search for Nadia.

The suspect in the case of Nadia’s disappearance has been released from jail after charges against him were dismissed on 29 August 2011.  Since then we’ve waited for evidence sent to the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia to be processed.  We were told DNA analysis results could be expected to be completed within 90 days…we’re almost halfway there now.  Once test results are received, Jefferson County District Attorney (DA) will determine the next course of action in Nadia’s criminal case.  We expect the DA to move forward with proceedings as planned.

Nadi called home and left us a voicemail the day before she disappeared.  As you may recall Nadia is a single mom who left  behind her then one year old son.  The rest of the family had recently returned to the states (Virginia) from an overseas assignment in Guam.  The news of Nadia’s disappearance had not reached Virginia and we were not informed by anyone of Nadia’s disappearance for three days. We were not aware our grandson was left behind and alone.  We were not aware her car and purse were found abandoned and discarded.  We did not know Nadia vanished after she left work for lunch and never returned.  Since then we’ve come to learn many things happened during those first three days after Nadi disappeared.  All in all, many more questions continue to remain unanswered.

We ask again if anyone has any information about Nadia’s whereabouts to come forward and tell us where she is.  If you have heard any hearsay, please come forward and share the information.  If you suspect you know where she is or suspect someone is involved please come forward and let us know. 

There are several options to contact us.  You can send us an email directly through this website.  You can contact Nadia’s search team @ (205)915-8936 or you can call Homewood PD @ (202) 332-6262.  As a more indirect approach you can also email or call the local Birmingham TV stations (Fox 6, NBC 13, CBS 42 or ABC 33/40); they have our contact information.  Please, come forward and shed light on this very dark situation and help us understand what happened to Nadi and let us bring her home.

We miss Nadia very much and we’d very much love to find her and take her home where she will be safe or if she has passed we’d like to return her home to be laid to rest.

Thank you all for continuing your support of our quest to find her.  Nadi holds a wonderfully special place in our hearts that no one else can fill.

In His Love,

Nancy

Looking for Answers

September 10th, 2011

Mother & Daughter

Hello everyone,

Our daughter Nadia Kersh vanished after she left work for lunch on Monday, 3 November 2008.  We miss her so very much!!!

Nadie where are you? Nad?  I ask myself that question each and everyday as an eternal emptiness surrounds me reminding me she is not here.  I turn to her son who will be four soon and want to tell him about what has happened to his mama but I don’t know that answer.  Nadia’s brother John frequently asks Kevin and I about the searches for his sister and whether the volunteer searchers have found any sign of his beloved sister as he continues to struggle with her disappearance.  With grief and heartache we continue to look for answers about what happened to Nadie and where she is.

The accumulation of persistent torrential rains of last weekend and the week before have delayed a search for Nadie this weekend, although others (not dependent upon the weather) will continue as planned.  We are extremely grateful not only for the search and rescue crews but also private/commercial property owners who have given us access to their land, loaned us equipment and personnel in our search for her.  This great outpour of generosity from empathetic people and blessed more who have given of themselves over time is overwhelming to take in all at once and has often brought me to my knees in thanks to our Lord for putting them in our path in hopes of finding our loving daughter Nadia.

Nadie where are you?  Mom is here.  Your pop, John, Charlie and I are here.  Your little man is waiting for his mommy…he’s waiting for you.  We’re all here waiting for you to come home.

On behalf of our family I ask people of the Birmingham, Alabama area again to please come forward if you have any information about our daughter Nadia’s whereabouts.  You can reach us directly through this website, contact Central Alabama Search and Rescue at 205 915 8936 or Homewood Police Department at 205 332 6262

Someone called Homewood Police Department many months ago with a “credible lead”.  I believe you know who you are.  Please, please call once again and leave that information again and any additional information you feel comfortable sharing to help us understand what happened to Nadie and/or where she can be found.  Now is your time to step out of the darkness and shed light on Nadia’s missing person case.  Take hold of courage and come forward.  It will all be okay.

For anyone else who has any information about Nadia’s whereabouts please let us know.  We very desperately want to find her and bring her home.

Thank you all for your prayers as we continue on our search.

Blessings to you all,

Nancy

Murder Charges Dismissed

August 29th, 2011

Hello everyone,

Capital murder charges against Joacquas Haywood, suspect in our daughter Nadia’s disappearance, were dismissed today.  He has been released from the Birmingham, Alabama jail.

Two weeks ago the judge in Nadia’s case denied the assistant district attorney’s (DA’s) request for a continuance of Mr. Haywood’s murder trial scheduled to begin 19 September 2011.  As I understand, the DA’s request was based upon DNA analysis test reports not yet received from the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia.  The DA considers these reports to be important to the case and did not want to proceed without the FBI lab findings. A second request for continuance was denied today.  The DA then requested charges against Mr Haywood be dismissed.  This request was granted.

We support the DA’s decision to request charges against Mr Haywood be dismissed as we wait for the DNA lab reports.  This move by no means indicates a final chapter in the case.  As we understand, once the results of the DNA tests are in the DA will revisit options and then make a determination of what course of action they will take.

During this time of waiting we ask people of the Homewood/Birmingham, Alabama community to come forward with information about the whereabouts of our daughter Nadia.  We have been searching for her for almost three years and desperately want to find her.  Please feel free to contact us at this website or call the Jefferson County District Attorney’s office and ask to speak with the assistant DA assigned to Nadia Kersh’s case if you have any information.

As her family we will continue to pursue leads in an attempt to find her.  A number of search crews will be out this Saturday and Sunday once again looking in several newly identified areas in hopes of locating her.  New equipment has been brought in to assist them.  Central Alabama Search and Rescue (formerly Walker County Search and Rescue) is the lead team in the search for Nadia.  They recently spoke about how they do what they do at a Victims of Crime and Leniency meeting in Jefferson County in Alabama (click on link). http://www2.alabamas13.com/news/2011/aug/18/ker-ar-2293944/

Thank you all for your continued interest in Nadia’s case.  We appreciate your emails and words of encouragement.

His Blessings to you,

Nancy for all