That day 23 years ago, her son Kevin Martin ran away from his Stellarton home never to be seen alive by his family again. He was 13 at the time.
Remains were found in November 2000 about 20 metres from a remote logging road in Burnside lying in a shallow grave near the Pictou-Colchester county line. In March 2001, Thomas was told those remains belonged to Kevin. Evidence indicated he had been murdered.
While Thomas can’t bring her son back to life, she tries to keep his memory and his story alive.
“People won’t forget him,” she said.
On Friday Thomas along with family members and friends walked in Stellarton near where he was last seen and then held a reception at the Stellarton Legion. While the location changes, the family had made a point of returning every year to remember Kevin and encourage people to come forward with answers.
Over the years Thomas said she has had people offer her tips about who they thought did it. She has her own suspicions about it. She admits at times it’s frustrating that no one has been charged, but she keeps praying for justice for Kevin.
“We just hope and pray some day there will be closure.”