Nov 28 walk is one of four anniversary events planned across the country
Five years after her daughter, Emma, disappeared from downtown Victoria, BC, Shelley Fillipoff is returning to the city to continue her search for answers and mark the anniversary with a candlelight walk.

"I decided the five-year mark was a significant milestone in the search for my daughter," Shelley explains, "I have one job in life and that is to find Emma."

The Nov 28 walk is one of four anniversary events planned across the country including vigils in Campbell River, BC, Halifax, NS, and Perth, ON. Emma has connections in each location. The Victoria 45-minute walk will commence at 7:17pm across from The Empress Hotel and will retrace some of Emma’s steps on the night of her disappearance.

During the week prior to the anniversary, Shelley will meet with VicPD Chief Del Manak and reach out to the public.

Emma Fillipoff was 26 years old when she vanished on Nov. 28, 2012. She displayed erratic and paranoid behaviour in the days leading up to her disappearance, and called Shelley in Ontario several times asking her to fly out and help her return home to Perth, only to follow up with another call asking her to cancel the trip. Shelley took the first flight out to Victoria when she learned her daughter was staying at the Sandy Merriman women’s shelter, but by the time she arrived, Emma had already disappeared.

The last known acquaintance to see Emma was so concerned about her that he called 9-1-1 and waited until police located her walking barefoot by The Empress Hotel. They spoke to her for approximately 45 minutes. "After assuring her well-being, Emma was allowed to continue on her way," police explained in a statement following the disappearance.

Shelley sent a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to view the 45-minute police transcript, but was denied without reason.

One enduring mystery is the identity of the man who walked into a Gastown, B.C. clothing shop in May 2014, with Emma's crumpled up poster, claiming she was his girlfriend. Despite grainy surveillance footage of him circulating for years on social media, no one has come forward with information, and police have yet to identify him or confirm his story.

In the years since Emma’s disappearance, Shelley has spearheaded an ongoing search with the help of a volunteer team of civilians. They continue to follow up tips and sightings, search natural areas, manage social media, and communicate with the public and police.

Shelley is hoping her visit to Victoria will spur the community to help find her daughter, "It's imperative that Emma’s case be kept in the public eye," she said. To that end, she'll be distributing posters, visiting locations frequented by Emma, and giving interviews to news media.

Candlelight vigils will be held on Nov. 28, from 7:17 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the following locations across Canada:

VICTORIA CANDLELIGHT WALK
Hosted by Shelley Fillipoff
Where: Across from Empress Hotel, Victoria, BC
Time: 7:17 p.m. to 8 p.m.

PERTH CANDLELIGHT VIGIL
Hosted by Melanie Weber
Where: Stewart Park Bandshell, Perth, ON
Time: 7:17 p.m. to 8 p.m.

HALIFAX CANDLELIGHT VIGIL
Hosted by Jordan Bonaparte
Where: Black Rock Beach
Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, NS
Time: 7:17 p.m. to 8 p.m.

CAMPBELL RIVER CANDLELIGHT VIGIL
Hosted by Royal Coachman Pub
Where: 84 Dogwood Street, Campbell River, BC
Time: 7:17 p.m. to 8 p.m.