By Carol Tannenhauser
Kellie Tolstoy, the mother of Drexyll Tolstoy, the 26-year-old Upper West Side man who disappeared without a trace on September 25, has come to the city from Detroit, Michigan, determined to find — or find out what happened to — her son. She is staying in Brooklyn, and spoke to WSR by phone on the subway on her way into Manhattan.
“No leads at all,” she said. “Nothing. No cell phone activity, no social media activity, nothing on his metro pass. Nobody, nothing. Everyone who knows him knows it isn’t like him.”
Me: “Was there anything that could have precipitated his disappearance?”
Kellie: “Well, you know, he was having a hard time with the COVID, like the rest of us, you know, struggling with some issues like depression and pretty much what everybody else I know is going through. But he also was going through a breakup. When he disappeared, he didn’t have any of his meds with him and that’s got us even more terrified.”
Kellie started a gofundme account earlier this month to raise the funds for her trip to NYC.
A Persian Gulf War Navy veteran, Kellie says she feels a little better now that she is taking action. “For 78 days, all I could do was call hospitals and morgues, cause he also doesn’t have any ID with him, no passport, nothing,” she explained.
Me: “Do you have a plan?”
Kellie: “Actually, I don’t really know. I’m going one day at a time right now. I know I’m supposed to meet with a couple of reporters. And if we don’t have a miracle happen while we’re here, then we’re gonna put together another trip with as many people as we can bring with us from Detroit; we’ll have a mini army.”
Kellie has posted a flyer and a $5,000 reward for tips leading to Drexyll’s whereabouts. He was last seen at Black Fish Tattoo, at 39 E. 32 Street, where he was a tattoo artist.
The updated number to call with tips is 800-577-TIPS.
Thanks to commenter Robert, here are the links from the flier to use:
Details/Updates:
https://helpusfinddrexyll.wixsite.com/helpusfinddrexyllcom
Volunteers Needed:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_r5qJjemmb6JaJwqOOmYJZWnEKyU1OEoYX8ag18LTbDfa8Q/viewform
GoFundMe:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-find-drexyll-tolstoy
Fingers crossed for his mother
Could you plse put links in additon to QR codes? Thank you.
Here are the corresponding links for those QR codes! Carol, please add this to the article if possible!
Details/Updates:
https://helpusfinddrexyll.wixsite.com/helpusfinddrexyllcom
Volunteers Needed:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_r5qJjemmb6JaJwqOOmYJZWnEKyU1OEoYX8ag18LTbDfa8Q/viewform
GoFundMe:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-find-drexyll-tolstoy
Thank You.
I hope that you are able to find Drexyll. We’re keeping you and your family in our thoughts.
My heart is breaking for her. I really hope her so is found.
So sorry. So sad. Hoping for a Christmas miracle.
Bringing people from Detroit who don’t know anything about NYC is not likely to find this woman’s son, unless they have experience investigating things like this. Kellie should hire Steven Rambam’s firm with the gofundme. They are experts on finding missing people around the world, but based in Brooklyn.
No pro bono?
Is it possible for the family to set up a Facebook page entirely for tips? I’ve seen them before for people who are missing and they increase awareness and public interest. Plus, people can easily share it.
Why not go to the police? He is MISSING. There may or may not be any criminal behavior by anyone – but there HAS to be official involvement!
My husband’s cousin went missing here a few years ago and the police don’t do anything to find adults. We weren’t able to get much help at all. They have likely gone to the police, but when searching for adults it’s every family for themselves, unfortunately.
Have you tried the Citizen app? They literally have millions of users. I’m almost positive it’s available in Detroit, so you might want to start now and then reach out again once you’re in NYC.
Something like this happened a few years ago and it was reported on this website. An elderly man named Suri went missing. A few days later a nurse recognized him in a hospital and contacted the family. One problem with finding Drexyll Tolstoy is that he looks totally different in every photo I have seen of him.