January 31, 2011

01/10/06: Michael Bosma, 25, Kelowna, BC

MISSING - Michael Bosma
Michael Bosma is missing.

At 9 p.m. on Monday, January 9, 2006, Michael Bosma, left on foot from a care home located on Bernard Avenue in Kelowna, British Columbia. He was supposed to return by 11 p.m. to take his medications. Bosma failed to return.

Bosma had been hospitalized shortly before his disappearance and had been staying at a local transition house.

He was seen at approximately midnight on Jan. 9 when he used his ATM bank card at the Esso service station at the corner of Harvey Avenue and Pandosy. He was seen again sometime on Tuesday, Jan. 10 in Jammer's Cold Beer and Liquor Store on Highway 97 where he used a debit card. There has not been any information concerning Bosma's disappearance since that time.

If you have any information about Michael Bosma, please call Kelowna RCMP at (250) 762-3300.


About Michael Bosma

Michael Bosma was born in Penticton, BC, on January 17, 1980. He spent his early years growing up in Summerland where he would spend hours riding his bike on the road and in the orchard. He loved to help his grandfather, who owned a sheep farm, bottle-feed orphaned lambs, and once even brought a lamb to school for show and tell. 

The family later moved to an old Victorian house in Penticton, where Michael shared a room with his older brother, Dan. Mike loved reading comic books and playing with his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And both boys, naturally, loved to tease their little sister, Sarah. When he was older, Mike followed his brother's lead and got a paper route. He and his brother loved to buy things from the mall with their own money. Michael was a typical boy, leading a typical life.

But at the age of 15, Mike's life began to spiral out of control.
Mike seemed to have his days and nights mixed up. We would wake in the middle of the night to him standing at the foot of our bed watching us. Then he would demand a cigarette from John. A few times I caught him sitting on the couch watching a TV that was not on. Mike explained that he was thinking. For Christmas that year Mike asked for a guitar. He loved his guitar and would play it for hours. He said he didn't need any books cause he already knew! He would be in his room for hours on end playing his guitar as hard as he could. We had also given him a Simpson Calendar, which he was thrilled with, as he loved the Simpsons.

I started to notice that he had duck tape in his room on many different things. Sometimes there were pieces of paper attached to it. Mike told me and a friend that the Simpson Calendar was talking to him. He was so convincing that I sat on his bed looking at the calender waiting for something. Eventually I gave up and then Mike said that as soon as I left the room Marge started talking. He was laughing about it so at this point I was just happy that he was happy. Mike would spend hours in his room drawing. He drew a little guitar and taped it to the calendar for Bart. I know this sounds so bizarre but I was happy that he wasn't smashing walls and going out of control.
- Wendy Bosma, Michael Bosma's mother, http://www.michael-bosma.memory-of.com/About.aspx


At the age of 19, Michael as diagnosed with schizophrenia, which he continued to struggle with up until his disappearance.

He was "a very good person with a very bad disease," says his mother, Wendy.

He was last seen at 9 p.m., on January 9, 2006, when he left his group home to go out for a walk. He was due back at 11 p.m. for his medication, but never showed up. His parents were not notified until 9 a.m., the next morning.

Michael's mother, Wendy Bosma, is currently working on a book, Bird in a Nest, about her son's life and the subsequent nightmare the family has endured since his disappearance. She has also has started a blog, http://wenswritings.wordpress.com/author/wenswritings, dedicated to raising awareness for missing people and has posted many of her personal stories and thoughts there.

A memorial site has been established for Michael at http://www.michael-bosma.memory-of.com/About.aspx, which provides additional information on Michael's life and his struggle with schizophrenia.


Facts:
Name/age: Michael Bosma, 25
Missing Since: January 9, 2006 from Kelowna, British Columbia
Classification: Missing
Date Of Birth: 1/17/80
Physical description: male, 6'0"-6'1," 250-270 lbs, brown/dirty blond hair, blue eyes
Last seen wearing: Blue jeans, black down filled jacket, glasses
Medical Conditions: Suffers from schizophrenia, needs his medication or will be very disoriented and confused, not violent.
Clothing: Case Number: 06-1572 and 06-1586
Investigating Agency: Kelowna RCMP, (250) 762-3300

2 comments:

director said...

Is he still officially missing? It seems odd that his family has a memorial site that says he 'left them' on January 10th, 2006 if there's still a chance he may be alive??

Unknown said...

Thank you for looking at Mikes Web site. We still have hope that he will be found and thats why I wrote "he left us." Everytime there is a body found we wonder if it will be our son and each time it isnt we have hope again that he will come home alive and well.