It's been more than 600 days since anyone has heard from or seen Isaac Seidel. He vanished from his Perry County home without a trace.His family and investigators are desperate for answers."He was, is... We're in the belief that he's still out there somewhere," his aunt, Carol Smith, said.It's hard for Smith to believe that it's been almost two years since her nephew disappeared."He is a very thoughtful person. He would do anything for you," she said.Seidel was last seen on September 12, 2021, at his home outside Blain. "He loved that little farm," Smith said.The then-36-year-old graduated from MIT with a mechanical engineering degree.He'd worked around the world but loved his land."He decided once he had that paid off, he didn't want to work anymore. He wanted to do things on his own terms, and that's what he did," Smith said.Seidel enjoyed gardening and grew most of his own food. He built his own beehives.His family said he was happiest when he was outside."And then all of a sudden, he just... I got the phone call from my sister. 'Isaac's not here,'" Smith said.It wasn't uncommon for Seidel to hop on his bike and not check in. They figured he'd show up soon. After all, he'd left chicken thawing in the sink and didn't even take his ID."But when he didn't come back, we said, 'Something's wrong. Something's going on. Something happened,'" Smith said.Smith helped set up search parties in the Tuscarora. They crisscrossed trails, even sending up drones for a closer look.Volunteers hung flyers, and the family offered a reward for information. They found nothing.Smith can't imagine anyone would intentionally hurt her nephew."No. He was loved by everybody. There's no way," she said.She also has a hard time believing he'd harm himself, though she knows his mom's cancer diagnosis and a recent breakup took a toll.It's possible he wanted to disappear. "We don't know, and that's why we're just encouraging if he is somewhere safe, just let the family and let the state police know that we can make contact with him," said Trooper Megan Frazer, with Pennsylvania State Police."Every day you think, 'Where is he?' I lay in bed at night, and I'm, like, 'Isaac, where are you?'" Smith said.Smith believes something did happen to Seidel – most likely some kind of accident.She thinks someone knows something and is just too scared to come forward."We're encouraging the public to give us any information, no matter how small you think it might be," Frazer said."The unknown is just horrible. We pray every day and hope that something will turn up," Smith said.Either way, Seidel's family just wants to know."I'd rather know if he's gone and be able to close than continue to wonder," Smith said.
PERRY COUNTY, Pa. —
It's been more than 600 days since anyone has heard from or seen Isaac Seidel. He vanished from his Perry County home without a trace.
His family and investigators are desperate for answers.
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"He was, is... We're in the belief that he's still out there somewhere," his aunt, Carol Smith, said.
It's hard for Smith to believe that it's been almost two years since her nephew disappeared.
"He is a very thoughtful person. He would do anything for you," she said.
Seidel was last seen on September 12, 2021, at his home outside Blain.
"He loved that little farm," Smith said.
The then-36-year-old graduated from MIT with a mechanical engineering degree.
He'd worked around the world but loved his land.
"He decided once he had that paid off, he didn't want to work anymore. He wanted to do things on his own terms, and that's what he did," Smith said.
Seidel enjoyed gardening and grew most of his own food. He built his own beehives.
His family said he was happiest when he was outside.
"And then all of a sudden, he just... I got the phone call from my sister. 'Isaac's not here,'" Smith said.
It wasn't uncommon for Seidel to hop on his bike and not check in. They figured he'd show up soon. After all, he'd left chicken thawing in the sink and didn't even take his ID.
"But when he didn't come back, we said, 'Something's wrong. Something's going on. Something happened,'" Smith said.
Smith helped set up search parties in the Tuscarora. They crisscrossed trails, even sending up drones for a closer look.
Volunteers hung flyers, and the family offered a reward for information.
They found nothing.
Smith can't imagine anyone would intentionally hurt her nephew.
"No. He was loved by everybody. There's no way," she said.
She also has a hard time believing he'd harm himself, though she knows his mom's cancer diagnosis and a recent breakup took a toll.
It's possible he wanted to disappear.
"We don't know, and that's why we're just encouraging if he is somewhere safe, just let the family and let the state police know that we can make contact with him," said Trooper Megan Frazer, with Pennsylvania State Police.
"Every day you think, 'Where is he?' I lay in bed at night, and I'm, like, 'Isaac, where are you?'" Smith said.
Smith believes something did happen to Seidel – most likely some kind of accident.
She thinks someone knows something and is just too scared to come forward.
"We're encouraging the public to give us any information, no matter how small you think it might be," Frazer said.
"The unknown is just horrible. We pray every day and hope that something will turn up," Smith said.
Either way, Seidel's family just wants to know.
"I'd rather know if he's gone and be able to close than continue to wonder," Smith said.
