The mother of a 23-year-old Chilliwack woman who has been missing for more than two weeks made a public statement this week to let people know what type of person her daughter is and to urge people to keep looking for her.
Shaelene Keeler Bell has been missing since Jan. 30. Her mom, Alina Durham, spoke with The Progress on Feb. 17.
“I can’t emphasis it enough, we want to keep (the search) going for my daughter’s sake,” Durham said. “I will not have my daughter as a missing statistic. I refuse that.”
She spoke from her Chilliwack home on Wednesday about what kind of woman Bell is.
“Shaelene is the most caring, kind-hearted girl you could ever meet. Anyone who knows her knows she would help anyone in any way she could. She’s a very loving, people-oriented person.”
Bell has lived in Chilliwack most of her life. She moved here as a young girl, attended school and graduated in Chilliwack. She was involved in cheerleading and vaulting and has many friends in the community.
Shaelene Bell. (Submitted to the Chilliwack Progress)
She is a “very devoted” mother and has two young boys, her mom added. Her youngest son has been a patient at BC Children’s Hospital for most of the last two years, and last year he was the poster child for an annual fundraiser for the hospital.
READ MORE: Chilliwack baby is the pancake poster child for provincewide fundraiser • Feb 25, 2020
“Going through the stress and fear of having a very sick child, she still felt compelled to help Children’s Hospital raise awareness and money for other children,” Durham said. “This is who Shaelene is.”
Durham stressed her daughter would “never, never” abandon her children.
“They are her entire life… they need their mother.”
Organizers set up tables and a tent at the end of McSween Road in preparation for their search for Shaelene Keeler Bell on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. (Eric Buermeyer)
In her statement, Durham went on to thank the community, friends, family and the RCMP investigation team for their support and search efforts.
People have been looking nearly every day for Bell in the area of Ballam and McSween roads where her vehicle was located.
A local Realtor has stepped up and is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of Bell.
A local Realtor is offering a $10,000 reward for the safe return of Shaelene Keeler Bell. (Submitted to the Chilliwack Progress)
Bell was last seen on Saturday, Jan. 30 when she left her apartment in the 9300-block of Edward Street around 8:30 p.m. Her 2021 Hyundai Tucson that she was driving was found in the 47000-block of Ballam Road two days later on Monday, Feb. 1.
READ MORE: VIDEO: Mother of missing Chilliwack woman makes public plea
“I miss Shaelene so, so, so much. She’s my whole world,” Durham said.
“I urge you all out there to, please, do not give up. Everybody keep going until we can bring Shaelene home to her boys and family and friends.”
Bell is described as having bleached blonde hair and brown eyes, standing five-foot-two and weighing 95 pounds.
RCMP ask anyone with information to call the police at 604-792-4611 or dial Crime Stoppers, anonymously, at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
There is also an online fundraiser to help with search efforts and to support Bell’s boys at gofundme.com/f/missing-mother-of-2-shaelene-bell.
READ MORE: GoFundMe set up to raise money for searchers, young boys of missing Chilliwack mom
A poster for missing Chilliwack mom, Shaelene Bell, is seen by the Fraser River on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. (Eric Buermeyer)
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Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: jenna.hauck@theprogress.com
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