Emily’s Gift

to Michaela and Dave

I know, this is absurdly delayed in sending; thank you for continuing to check in. I apologize. Please know I’m covering as many bases as I can, obviously as fast as a turtle in high heels.

TOP Priority is Michaela! She and Dave are finally getting married September 27, THIS 9/27/25.

Dave's Proposal to Michaela

I can honestly tell you she has been absolutely, positively, unequivocally indispensable!

Following is a list, but it isn’t just a list. Please read slowly and try to digest the hours each task took/takes – please!!!

Michaela set up Communication Command Center extraordinaire by herself without being asked.

Communication Command Center in Action

Not until the needs and escalation of information increased, did she enlist the help of family and friends with special skill sets that could help her. None of us had any clue the details that would need to be taken care of, i.e., but not limited to:

setting up a dedicated Emily email EmilyUpdates2024@gmail.com, “womaning” that email by dialoguing with those who use it and forwarding them on to me.
creating and updating spreadsheets for tracking dates and times, contacts (political entities, special services such as search teams and devices, volunteers etc.), tips and references for those such as legal assistance, podcasters, crime solvers, mainstream media, and not so mainstream entities, etc.
designing and setting up the billboard and rotating gas station adds with the permission and significant funding of her boss.
brainstorming creative ideas for fundraisers (including researching cross country legalities).
designing and maintaining Emily’s web site (www.EyesForEmily.com), Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561441812867 and Instagram pages (https://www.instagram.com/eyesforemily/), the petition site (successful and closed) and Go Fund Me (https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-search-for-emily-rea%20%20%20%EF%BB%BF) pages.
setting me up and ever so patiently schooling me in the use of the Google suite and other useful helps and apps I’d not yet used.
making and selling her own jewelry to assist in funding.
helping fill in Emily history blanks, lending insight, commiserating with the seemingly never-ending delays and what was/is seen as lack of coordination and information, adding well placed humor.
shielding me from harsh pushbacks
making the trip from MA to MT to assist me (with one of my brothers and sister-in-law) to pack up Emily’s belongings on a tight time frame.
managing all of this while being the president of a dominant and respectable marketing company as it went through the acquisition/sale process, planning a wedding and most incredibly, dealt personally with the second loss of a best friend. They are three peas in a pod, Tres Amigos, BFFs: Liv, Emily and Michaela. BFF… the last F = FOREVER. Michaela, they will indeed be in your heart, mind and memories forever.

Miracles still do happen; chapter not yet closed though the physical absence and loss of Liv and Emily are real.

Michaela succeeded in accomplishing all of these with great aplomb and without a single grumphhh, unkind word or even an inkling of "you want me to do what? WHEN?"

Emily and Michaela The Business Side of Michaela Em & Michaela chillin' in MT

I say finally engaged because Michaela and Dave have postponed not only vacations and personal plans but also their wedding to assist with the above list involving Emily’s disappearance. With a bit of encouragement and dare I say permission, she and Dave set a wedding date, 9/27/25.

I am requesting a uniquely fun form of help from you. Emily’s Gift. A way to help Michaela and Dave redeem some of the missed adventures and unstressed togetherness. If any of you have or have access to a second home, camp, timeshare etc., which you would be willing to make available to Michaela and Dave, would you? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they could have one destination vacation a month for the next year? It doesn’t matter what state; arrangements can be made.

If you’d like to participate in thanking Michaela, here’s a simple-to-use link to a form with instructions:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeb7th1ej5evhXvYJwczRvxub8fxHO-z3EG_x3sLqObWOghkg/viewform?usp=header

If you don’t have a vaca spot to offer and would like to help send them on their way, of course you’re not confined to Emily’s Gift. On that form are non-vacation options with a link as well and a way to reach Michaela directly via email. This is what extended community is all about!

Now for some Emily Search Updates:

We hosted an organizational rally on a gorgeous day with the willing hands and gifts of many which kicked off a petition signing drive.
With the help of many, near and far, we successfully collected over 5200 petition signatures which were hand and electronically delivered to Austin Knudsen, MT’s Attorney General.
Which precipitated a direct call from the head of Montana’s Department of Justice’s DCI.
Gene and Sandy Ralston (deep-water sonar) returned and scanned for a week until inclement weather, including 6” of snow on the summer solstice, sent them home to Idaho with no further finding. They will not be returning a third time.
The services of a well screened and reputable Private Investigator have been enlisted.
He continues to conduct interviews and research many leads. After 2+ months of sleuthing, he too believes Emily’s disappearance was not accidental. The challenge is to prove it – please continue to pray for those who have information, to be forthcoming and for the truth to be found…along with Emily!
He had a meeting with several officials familiar with the case at the Sheriff’s Office last Friday.
Information was shared bilaterally and part of Emily’s case file was given to him.
Thanks to your generosity, the PI’s contract has been extended.
Emily’s computer is currently residing with the FBI – data access very difficult to obtain.
Car and paddle board remain with the Sheriff’s office for possible further processing.
Forensic accountants and cyber security experts have continued to conduct their research.

Please continue to pray

for enough solid evidence of foul play for a federal agency to be invited in by the Sheriff’s office for assistance.
for miracles! Please try not to weary of praying for Emily as you would your own friends and family. There are answers, we just don’t know when and where they will come.

Today’s mission: the biggest Thank You possible being sent to Michaela and Dave.

There aren’t enough words to describe the depth of gratitude and known cost.

Walking that practiced walk of faith,

Nina (aka Mama) Rea

Archive: A Message From Nina (10/13/24)

Michaela Schwartz
May 1
3 min read

Howdy Hi,

It's update time again. What's happening on the Emily search front? There are several things to share and a suggestion or two to make.

Hugo is being a spunky, snugly, responsive student. He's well into the second week of retraining and soon to be moving into his new long-term foster home. A big woof-out to those of you who have helped provide financially for that transition, covering excellent training to consistent dietary needs.

Both sonar boats are still awaiting repair parts to be able to get back on the water to resume the water search. A finding for closure is sought. As previously mentioned, the window of opportunity is closing due to winter weather on the near horizon. In addition, as we've known from the beginning, search efforts will draw to a naturally slower pace, yet won't cease altogether. Resources; human, mechanical and financial, which have been many and varied, are diminishing. It both fascinates and frustrates me that with all that has been employed in the search for Em, there is still so very little to give any clue or direction. I hear more often than I'd like how unusual and rare a case this is, all aspects combined. At times, it must be nice to be "usual".

Now, that having been said, despite the Montana tapering off, there's still plenty in motion. I ask you to continue spreading the word of her disappearance. Every eye on the lookout is important and every prayer even more so! One way you can assist is if you are involved in or know of a trade show, Fall Festival or local fair event. Please copy the latest Reward poster with the QR code so passers by can snap a shot and join us.

Another is to contact every organization that has a significant media presence or outreach, domestic and or international. Please forward Emily's information to them with the request to disseminate her information.

You want to know something that is astounding to me? There is not one single continent on this earth which isn't already praying for Emily.

Please be encouraged with me by the commitment and efforts being made on our behalf by those we don't even know!!! These comments were sent my way yesterday:

"Morning sweet Nina! Not even started yet and people coming up to talk to me about Emily! God is working hard today ❤️❤️❤️❤️"

"Met a man today with over 100,000 followers who is calling out for prayer and posting Emily’s page!!! Lots of people stopped and asked how they could help. Lots of them took pictures so I’m hoping to get a bit of traction here in the DMV area. ❤️"

Lastly for this update, a request was made (among several) by a kind young reporter, for an interview for an article in a local MT paper.

All in all, despite the very few inaccuracies and miscommunications, I'm thankful for the opportunity and the outcome. Taylor did a great, sensitive job in moving Emily off the flyers and into hearts by depicting a real gem of a young woman.

Since you asked, please know, that I believe, whatever strength and demeanor you see isn't mine, but the results of the countless prayers being offered up and my Heavenly Father's positive response in the granting of grace and blessings to sustain during a heart rending time. I choose to believe, I choose to walk a practiced walk of faith and I choose to employ an endless supply of scripture verses in word and song, moment by nano second to not go down the what-if trails so many are eager to present. Philippians 4:8 is an excellent example of thinking positively:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Doing so takes conscious action, determination, persistence and energy. I believe it's worth the effort. The Devil's "D" words - despair, doubt, depression, despondence, downheartedness, the dumps etc. have no place in this equation. I choose to believe in the triumph of good over evil. Whoowee, if that isn't both barrels...

Thank you for your prayers, positive thoughts and actions. Please continue. There is always hope! You have been such a wonderfully integral part of this surreal yet so real journey to find Emily.

From Mama Rea's heart to yours,

Nina