An avid traveller, Toronto paralegal Ani Ashekian (pictured right) set a goal to visit 30 countries before her 31st birthday. She lived for such adventures, but now friends and relatives are worried that somewhere along the way, misadventure may have led her astray.
Ashekian, 30, has apparently disappeared in Hong Kong. She left on a trip to Asia on October 24 and was due to fly back home from New Delhi, India on Monday. But she never boarded her flight.
The last time anybody had contact with her was on November 10 when she sent a text message to her older sister on her niece's birthday. That same day she took a cash advance on her credit card for $1,000.
"Things didn't make sense any more," noted friend Claire Galea. "Her lease is up January 1st. She had to be home packing her stuff."
"She has a lot of friends, so many people that care about her and love her...She'd never be so malicious as not to communicate with people around the holidays, around like her niece's birthdays. None of it makes sense."
Her boyfriend, Wendell Walsh, says it's uncharacteristic of her to not keep in touch.
"I admire her for how responsible she is. When the contact stopped, I knew there was something up for sure."
Walsh is headed for Hong Kong next week where he's hoping to enlist the help of a private investigator. Friends are looking for assistance from Chinese Canadians as well.
"Anyone who can help in terms of anything is what I'm asking for," Walsh said.
There are reports that while fellow travelers and lawyers Catherine Jordan and Paula Liu were out sightseeing in Beijing, Ashekian checked out of the hotel where they were staying without leaving a note or any forwarding information.
She hasn't used her credit card, e-mail or bank account for more than five weeks.
The family filed missing persons reports in Hong Kong, where she was last seen, and Windsor, where she grew up. Canada's Foreign Affairs Department is also investigating.
Ashekian's loved ones have set up a Facebook page to spread the word and get help with their search. To find out more, click
here.
To donate to a trust fund, go to any TD Canada Trust Bank and make a deposit to her sister:
SOSSY ASHEKIAN - IN TRUST