A mother has spoken of her unbearable wait as she searches for her 16-year-old son, missing since a devastating fire ripped through a popular bar in a Swiss ski resort on New Year's Day.
A Happy New Year Message Turns to Tragedy
Laetitia Broadard-Sitre, 42, received a final, cherished text from her son Arthur just three minutes after midnight on Thursday morning. The teenager, who was celebrating with ten school friends at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, sent love heart and party streamer emojis with the message: "Happy New Year Mom."
She replied seconds later, telling him she loved him. Less than 48 hours later, that joyful exchange has been replaced by a desperate hunt for her missing boy amidst the charred remains of the alpine resort.
An Unbearable Wait in the Cold
Sitting in a coffee shop near the gutted bar, Laetitia bravely described her ordeal to reporters. She has been unable to sleep since the fire broke out in the early hours of January 1st.
"I've been looking for Arthur for more than 30 hours," she said. "It’s an unbearable wait... I won't stop searching, I won't give up." She is appealing to the world, and to any hospital that may have taken in victims, to recognise Arthur's face and contact her.
Many Families Share the Same Torment
Laetitia's anguish is not isolated. The parents of scores of other missing young people are enduring the same torment as Swiss authorities continue the grim task of identifying the dead.
Police have confirmed the process, which includes DNA testing, could take days, prolonging the immense stress for families. The burnt-out bar now stands surrounded by a white barrier, a stark symbol of the tragedy that struck the New Year celebrations.
As the search continues in the freezing resort, the hope for news – any news – is all that sustains the waiting families. They, like Laetitia, need to know what has happened to their loved ones.
