In the space of nine days, in unrelated circumstances and in different parts of the state, two members of the Dickie family vanished.
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More than three years later, the family does not believe they are any closer to finding out what happened to the pair.
Dylan Dickie, a 19-year-old from Cessnock, was last seen in his hometown on June 23, 2016.
It was out of character for him not to contact friends or family, so he was reported missing. The only trace of the teenager came when police found his dirt bike abandoned at Watagans National Park a few days later.
It came less than a fortnight after Robert Dickie, then aged 71, disappeared from a small town east of Dubbo.
Robert was last seen leaving his home at Wattle Road, Elong Elong, on the evening of June 14. He was reported missing after he failed to return as planned.
Dylan and Robert are among 2600 people classified as missing across Australia.
This week is National Missing Persons Week, an annual awareness campaign organised by the Australian Federal Police in an effort to bring closure to families who have had a loved one disappear.
Dylan's mother Nicole Dickie - who is also Robert's daughter-in-law - told the Newcastle Herald it was "quite unbelievable and shocking" to have two family members vanish, particularly in such a short period of time.
"Most people assume the same thing has happened to both of them, as did some of the family at first," she said.
"We now know the circumstances are totally different and not related at all.
"Part of me wishes the cases were related to each other so as to give us more hope - if we found answers to one of them, we were likely to find the other."
Ms Dickie said the family appreciated the attention her son's case had received, but it was also a reminder of the gravity of their situation.
"The family has its moments - sometimes we are going along OK and feel strong and then we'll see Dylan's face in the media and it hits us all of a sudden," she said.
"When we are strolling through the local market or in the middle of Sydney and see the missing persons display and Dylan's face, it's hard to compose yourself, even in public.
"It reminds us how real this is and that our boy is another statistic of a missing person with little answers to go on.
"We need people to call the police with any information they may have, however big or small."
Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000
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