WSMV4's Holly Thompson spoke with the mom and stepdad of Sebastian Rogers who's been missing for a year following his disappearance on Feb. 26, 2024.
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‘My son is out there somewhere’: Sebastian Rogers’ mom, stepdad share struggles, hopes with WSMV4 year after son’s disappearance
One year ago, on the morning of Feb. 26, 2024, then 15-year-old Sebastian Rogers was discovered missing from his Hendersonville home. The teen with autism had vanished without a trace.
Hundreds of tips poured in over the last twelve months, and still, there have been no confirmed sightings or solid leads in Sebastian’s case. It is a mystery that has baffled people all over Middle Tennessee and the country.
WSMV4’s Holly Thompson sat down with Sebastian’s mom and stepdad, Katie and Chris Proudfoot, who shared their struggles, hopes, and determination to find their missing son.
“Do you see Sebastian coming back through your front door? Do you feel he’s okay, he’s alive,” asked Thompson.
“I dream about it every day. I dream that one day I’m gonna wake up, and this is gonna be a nightmare. But yes,” said Katie Proudfoot, “I believe that my son is out there somewhere. I believe that we are going to bring him home, and we’re going to find a way to recover from this, and I’m going to watch him grow into a young man, and you know, live the life that he deserves to have.”
Proudfoot is resolute in her belief that her son Sebastian, now 16, will be found and will be home one day.
“What would you say to him when he walked in that door,” asked Thompson.
“Oh, I don’t know if I’d be able to speak,” said Proudfoot. “I’d probably bulldoze him down with hugs. Honestly, when I picture that, I just picture being able to hug him, to hold him, to smell him. I mean, just to be able to hear his voice, to hear his laugh...”
The Proudfoots hired private investigator Steve Fischer who says the video that first aired on WSMV4 could be a new lead in the ongoing search for Sebastian. It is a video from the overnight hours that Sebastian disappeared.
“We went through over 100 hours of surveillance, and we have, it wasn’t until the third pass through the surveillance that we even spotted this, this person, and there’s a person at 12:17 a.m. in the same neighborhood that Sebastian’s from, that walks southbound on a street in the neighborhood, goes behind a vehicle. It appears that they’re trying to stay out of sight of another person that’s walking their dog, and then doubles back after it’s clear,” explained Fischer.
“I’ve seen the video. I know what’s in it. It actually gives us more rejuvenated hope that we may actually be on to something. We just have to run it down,” said Chris Proudfoot. “Let’s bring people back to the table, and let’s exercise every possibility of enhancing this video, looking at whatever and tackling what it is to get an answer.”
“We do believe there’s a chance that is Sebastian,” said Fischer. “We’re just trying to find out if that could be the case.”
Emergency responders and volunteers have spent hundreds of hours searching for Sebastian, utilizing drone mapping, ground searches, scent dogs and surveillance video.
“Why do you think Sebastian is still missing,” asked Thompson.
“It’s tough to say. I mean, it was the largest manhunt in Tennessee history for a child and absolutely zero evidence. There’s nothing out there,” said Chris Proudfoot. “Law enforcement is working due diligently. They’re working hard over and over and over. You know, we appreciate everything they do. I mean, it is an active investigation, so I don’t want to go into it, but it is, it is mind-blowing at the same time that it’s been a year, and the amount of people that still don’t know about this. It’s, it’s, it’s unnerving.”
“How would you describe what you had to experience this last year with so many unanswered questions,” asked Thompson.
“It’s horrific” replied Katie. “I don’t know how to describe what it feels like to watch the news, to go hang flyers in every store, every business, every place that you go to and, and still find that some people don’t even know about it. To hear that there might be a lead and then just to sit there and have to wait and find out that it’s not him yet.”
“It’s pure hell. I mean, there’s nothing you can do, there’s no words,” said Chris. “There’s no way to put how this actually feels, and anybody that can, I don’t see how.”
When asked for their response to people who suggest that one of them may have been involved with Sebastian’s disappearance, Katie replied, “I would say to pause and to think, and I would say to consider the sources of information, try to make sure that you’re getting legitimate information, avoid the rumors.”
“And I would say that everyone should pause and remember why we all came together in the first place, and that is because Sebastian’s missing and because I’d like to believe that we all want to find him,” said Katie. “And no matter what anyone’s personal opinion is, that the most important thing still remains, that Sebastian needs to be found, and Sebastian needs to come home. And I would just say thank you to everyone and anyone that is a part of that.”
Katie and Chris say they’re determined to bring their son home and want the community to stay focused.
“I want to ask everyone not to forget, and I want to encourage people to keep helping and to keep bringing awareness, not only to our son but to all of the missing children, because they all deserve to go home,” said Katie.
Thompson asked Katie what her message would be for Sebastian if he is out there listening.
“I would say that, know that we all love you and that there are so many people that care, and so many people that are looking. And hang in there and know that we’re going to find you. Know that we’re going to bring you home.”
