The family of a young father who disappeared almost 11 weeks ago are pleading for anyone with answers to come forward after he sent an eerie last text message to his sister before he went missing.
Samuel Segal was last seen on CCTV at Glenbrook National Park in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, on Saturday January 15.
Despite a thorough search of the area by local authorities, Mr Segal has not been found.
However his 2021 Toyota HiLux was later discovered at the Jelly bean Pool car park.
Neither his bank accounts nor mobile phone have been touched and police do not suspect any suspicious activity.
On the day he disappeared, Mr Segal sent a chilling last text to his sister Ashlea, who asked if he was free for a phone call while she drove.
He missed the message and replied just over an hour later asking if she was still free, but she was with friends.
“Nope, but can give you a call later today!” he shot back.
Ashlea tried calling laxjmtzywter that day, but her brother never answered.
She tried calling again multiple times throughout the week and couldn’t get through, before filing a missing person’s report on January 23.
While the family hasn’t heard anything since Mr Segal disappeared, Ashlea is still desperately waiting for answers and travels between her home in Melbourne and the Blue Mountains regularly.
She recently made a visit to celebrate Sam’s 30th birthday earlier this month.
“On Saturday, 12th March 2022 we celebrated Sam’s 30th birthday,” Ashlea wrote on Facebook.
“It is difficult to piece together the right words to describe who Sam is because we each have our own unique bond with him – however over the many stories shared over the weekend, it is incredibly clear the profound impact he had on so many.
“He truly is one of a kind.
“Although we don’t know where Sam is, Sam is still here, he will continue to live in our hearts, our memories, and through his most beautiful little girl.”
While her brother has lived in the Blue Mountains, Ashlea said he was not too familiar with Glenbrook National Park.
“It was not out of character for him to go exploring something new,” she said.
A keen outdoorsman, Mr Segal worked in the nearby town of Springwood as an operations manager for a local arborist company.
He had a great knowledge of trees and plants and would often spend his weekends exploring the local national parks with his three-year-old daughter or go rock-climbing with friends.
The search for Mr Segal is still ongoing, with police saying they don’t give up on searching for a missing person.
His employer Phil Dixon started a local movement called “Walk It Off”, a local men’s group that organises meetings and focuses on men’s mental health, in response to the sudden disappearance.
While it has been a difficult time for Mr Segal’s family, they have not given up hope he will be found and urge anyone with information on his whereabouts to come forward.
