In the autumn of 2020, a family's concern grew into a years-long search for a beloved son, brother, and cousin. On November 6, 34-year-old Sean Martin Hart walked away from the Seven Oaks Tertiary Mental Health facility in Saanich, British Columbia, and vanished. Described as a Caucasian male, standing six feet tall with a very thin build, blue eyes, and long, curly, reddish-brown hair, Sean was last seen dressed entirely in black.
His departure was not entirely without precedent; Sean lived with schizoaffective disorder and had previously gone on what he called 'adventures' when he was off his medication. However, those excursions were brief, and he would always be found or return on his own within a few days. This time was different, stretching from days into weeks, and then into an agonizing expanse of years, leaving his family in a state of sustained uncertainty.
Sean's struggle with mental illness began in his teenage years. When not on his medication, he tended to become paranoid and reclusive, often seeking solitude in wooded, rural areas away from people. His family shared that he might discard his footwear, as he was known to walk barefoot for great distances. In the days leading up to his disappearance, Sean had purchased a new three-quarter length black parka with a fur-lined hood and black Under Armour hiking boots. His mother, Penny Hart, flew from her home in Calgary to spearhead the search, bringing a fractured family together in a united effort to find him. They plastered posters, created a Facebook page to share updates, and pleaded with the public for any information that might lead to his whereabouts. Search and rescue teams were deployed, combing through areas like Mount Douglas Park for any sign of Sean, but their efforts yielded no clues.
The investigation revealed that Sean had his wallet, containing his identification and a bank card, with him when he left the facility. However, there has been no activity on his bank account since he went missing, a detail that deepens the mystery of his circumstances. The Saanich Police have maintained an open investigation, and at one point, collected DNA from Sean's family to enter into a national database, a standard procedure for long-term missing persons cases. Despite the passage of time, his family has held onto hope, asking hikers and those in remote areas to be watchful for any of his belongings. The case of Sean Martin Hart is a heart-wrenching story of a man grappling with mental illness who disappeared without a trace, leaving behind a family united in their grief and their enduring search for answers. It is an ongoing investigation marked by a profound lack of evidence, where a loving family continues to wait for the day they might learn what happened to their son.Last Seen: Nov 6, 2020
