Parents invest a lot of time and effort in raising their children and providing for them. They would do anything to make their life as carefree as possible.
They love us unconditionally, no matter what.
They try their best to keep us safe, but sadly, some things are beyond their control. Learning that your child is missing is every parent's worst nightmare.
It's something that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
One man from Colorado found himself in a terrifying situation when he realized that his daughter didn't come home the night before, and when he checked her social media, he had no other choice than to call the police.
Laura Lynne Stacey was a hard-working, enthusiastic girl with a dream of becoming a real estate agent.
After graduating from Colorado State University, she made her dream come true.
Laura gained a lot of success in the business, and her father was very proud of her. She had a bright future ahead of her with one specific goal in mind.
Little did she know how this one decision would affect her future.
Laura wanted to move to Los Angeles, as there were more opportunities in her career field.
Her parents, Steve and Marcy, were very supportive of her decision and were prepared to help her in any way they could.
Laura had to move hundreds of miles away from her parents after living with them for more than twenty years. It was heartbreaking.
She had always been very close to her parents, and not seeing them daily was going to be difficult.
She was grateful for everything they had done for her and all the love they had given to her. Laura knew it was time for her to start her own life, and Los Angeles was an ideal option for that.
After moving away, Laura made sure to give her parents a call every evening after returning from work.
She updated them on everything that was going on in her life. Every day before going to bed, Laura would give them a call and talk until she could no longer keep her eyes open.
She was always on her phone and replied almost insanity to the messages from her friends and family.
When one day Laura didn't call her parents, they got immediately worried. After calling her a few times and getting no response, they knew something must have happened to their daughter.
Her friends and siblings tried reaching out to her, but all of their calls and texts were left unanswered.
At first, everyone tried to stay calm, thinking Laura's phone was on silent mode or she was just busy with work. However, things were about to get even worse.
After a couple of hours, her father received a text from her number.
Although it came from Laura's phone, it wasn't her who sent the text.
Someone had found her cell phone at Golden Valley Park in Santa Clarita, which was 30 miles from her house in Los Angeles.
The terrified parents immediately headed towards Los Angeles and informed the police and Laura's friends and coworkers about the incident. No one knew where she was or what could have happened to her.
The LA Police dispatched a helicopter in hopes of finding the girl as soon as possible.
The police were able to locate her vehicle, but there were no traces of Laura herself. Her parents didn't know what to think.
They tried to stay positive, but it was extremely hard, given the circumstances.
"It's been a nightmare, and I just want to be woken up from a bad dream," said her mother after several days of searching for her daughter.
"A lot of people love her and are praying for her and want her home safely," she added.
The police had several theories regarding her case; her car may have broken down, and since there weren't any repair shops nearby, she took a Lyft back to the city.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the case.
Their theory didn't convince her parents. Why would she leave her phone 30 miles away from where she was living?
Laura always took great care of her belongings and never lost anything valuable before.
On Wednesday afternoon, three days since her disappearance, Laura was spotted walking next to a nearby freeway. It was indeed a miracle. Her parents couldn't believe their eyes.
Their daughter was found in good health. However, the police quickly noticed something odd about her appearance.
They described her as "someone disoriented" and "confused." Despite being fully clothed, it was apparent she was suffering from exposure.
As soon as Laura's parents learned the news, they rushed her to a nearby hospital.
The doctors examined her mental and physical state; meanwhile, her parents thanked everyone who helped them find Laura.
"Specifically, we would like to thank the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department for their swift response," Laura's father, Steve, said.
The local volunteers, Rescue team, and LASD Volunteer search were all searching for Laura and giving her parents support and hope throughout this challenging period.
Not much is known about Laura's condition and what happened to her, as her parents decided to keep things private.
They asked the media to give them privacy and let them overcome this traumatizing experience on their own.
"Our daughter's physical condition is currently being evaluated by medical professionals, and we await the results," they told the reporters. "Our family is not in the position to give interviews at this time.
As a result, we respectfully request privacy," said Laura's father.
The mystery behind her disappearance still remains unsolved.
No one knows what happened to her during those three days except for her parents.