Letter to community from family of Erin Foster

To the community of White County:   

On April 3, 2000, our lives were forever changed, however, it was not until Dec. 1, 2021 that we could begin to know the depth of the change we would be faced to comprehend.  For the past 21 years, our lives have been filled with multiple emotions - trying to piece together a puzzle in an attempt to locate our Erin.  It seemed there was no place we had not looked, no lead we had not followed, all in hopes of answering the question everyone was asking:  “Where could Erin and Jeremy be?”  Last Wednesday, the mystery that has haunted our family and the friends of both Erin and Jeremy was unraveled, and the question of where they had been was finally answered -  we finally knew where our Erin had been all along.  Our family is devastated at the finality of this event, but we are also relieved that we can bring Erin to a final resting place and no longer have to wonder.

We would like to thank the community for the outpouring of love and support as the news of finally finding Erin was made known to the people of White County.  Thank you for the past 21 years of helping us continue to look and keep the case alive, for kind words along the way, and prayers that have helped us make it through this terrible time.  Our family would like to especially thank Sheriff Steve Page and the White County Sheriff’s Department.  We are beyond grateful to Sheriff Page who was willing to listen to every theoretical lead we had heard, and additionally, he followed them to every dead end - until this one!  Your promises to our family when you became the sheriff of White County to “never stop looking” and “never let the case die” will forever keep us grateful as we process the tragic findings of this past week.  Thank you, Sheriff Page, for leading by example with dedication to this case, which has finally allowed us to find our precious Erin.  It is difficult to find the words to express our gratitude for the efforts to support us during this heartbreaking time.  We will never forget the hours of tireless work that went into this endeavor by the multiple units involved.  It is difficult times such as these that we can truly understand the value of a small town and the ability to support one another as White County does.

To Jeremy Sides from “Exploring with Nug,” there are not enough words to exemplify the gratitude we have for your dedication to helping families find their loved ones.  We could have never dreamed that Wednesday morning, Dec. 1st would change our lives forever due to your willingness to undertake such a valuable task. We are amazed in your efforts and desire to look for people and help solve cases that no one can seem to answer.  Our family will never forget your work and how you resolved the question lurking in our hearts for so long.

The time ahead will not be easy as we face the finality of losing our Erin.  We will always remember her beautiful smile and can know in our hearts that she is resting in peace.  We will always love you, Erin Leigh…

Forever,

Cecil, Leigh Ann & Will Foster