August Reiger is still missing.
As of July 28, 2021, August Reiger is still missing. Nixie Adams wrote about him in February 2021 in a post on Medium titled, “Valedictorian Disappears on Hike in Ecuador — The Mysterious Case of 18-Year-Old August Reiger.”
“The brilliant poppy flaunts her head
Amidst the ripening grain,
And adds her voice to sell the song
That August’s here again.”
–Helen Winslow
Like so many missing person cases, August Reiger’s name remained in the headlines for weeks, but eventually moved out of the news cycle. Reiger is the Oklahoma teenager who disappeared on June 16, while hiking with his family in Ecuador. Authorities in South America believe the high school valedictorian was kidnapped.
It can be very difficult to keep a story in the news cycle after it breaks. There are so many missing people and only so many angles and broadcasts. So, when I came across these paintings of August by his mother Randa via Twitter, I saw them as an authentic and passionate way to keep the story alive. That, and they completely took my breath away. They are so beautiful in a gut-wrenching kind of way. The mother’s agony is so evident, but so is the son’s. Their love, too.
The series of six paintings, The Mother of Your Pain and Hope, are inspired by the works of the famous Ecuadoran master painter Oswaldo Guayasamín who died in 1999.
In the spirit of St. Anthony, may all who are lost be returned to our keeping, especially August.
August and Randa Reiger Ecuador Paintng
The one-year anniversary of August Reiger’s disappearance is June 16, 2014.
Join the Find August Reiger Facebook Page
Follow Bring August Home on Twitter.
Prayers for August coming home for Christmas!!! Prayers for all the family and friends!!
I am intrigued by the concept of the Bring Randa Home Twitter handle, I have not seen that before and I really like it.
So impactful. There is so much emotion in these paintings and so much unknown in this story. Thank you for highlighting it.
Oh wow these are so gorgeous! How heartbreaking!!