BY CHELSEA PAGAN
“He was always able to be
that spark, that happiness.
8
CCC student Brandon Powell has
been missing since March 12.
Family and friends gathered on April 21 at
Timber Park in Estacada to spread hope for
a missing Clackarhas Community College
student.
Brandoh Powell, 18, went missing on
March 12 after running from his home at
5:45 a.m . near Ivy Road and Lake Shore
Drive in Estacada wearing only blue pajama
bottoms with ho Shirt or shoes.
Pow ell’ s m other, Ester Thom pson,
posted from Powell’ s Facebook page,
“ Brandon had a panic attack early this
morning. He kept talking about how much
of a failure he was. Then ran out of the
house.”
Powell last attended classes onThursday,
March 9, the same week he went missing.
In addition to being a student at CCC,
Powell was also on the school’ s track and
field team.
“ He was very talented; he definitely
contributed to the team ,” said Clackamas
coach Keoni McHone when asked about
Powell. “ He was very hard working and
coachable. He got along with everyone on
the team, was there every day and never
missed practice.”
Others also spoke highly of the 18-year-
old.
“ Brandon has such a promising future.
He is a wonderful young man that wanted
to give back just like my dad gave to him ,”
said Melissa Giahnoni Graham at the vigil,
whose father was Powell’ s big brother in
the Big Brother program for the last 10
years.
“ He was so happy to be on the Clackamas
Com m unity College track team ,” said
Graham. “ He had just come so far.” ;
Cheyenne M cFarland, a friend who
considers him like her brother, said she
had seen Powell weeks before he had went
missing.
“ He was just being able to solve a Rubik’s
Cube, and he came over to my house and I
just thought it was the cutest thing ever,”
said McFarlands “ He always was able to
deliver that spark, that happiness. I miss
him a lot.”
Powell’ s m other gave an em otional
speech at the end o f the vigil suggesting
people haven’t painted her son correctly
after many accusations posted to Facebook
regarding Powell’ s disappearance and
possible whereabouts..
“ There was a side to him that you guys
didn’t know, that side was a person who
helps people,” said Thompson. “ He made
people better people because he stood
for what was true. He deserves to be
remembered for that.”
Debbie Bain, who works at the store
Powell and his family frequently visited
over the years, also spoke at the vigil.
“ Brandon is who we know. Brandon is
that special kid who we all love, and that
is the person who we need to find. That
is the person that we need to make sure
that everyone knows we are looking for,
we can’ t let anyone forget that.”
The vigil was short and simple due to
a friend to the family breaking down and
losing his temper. The police came and got
him under control while Powell’ s loved
ones finished up the vigil by watching a
slide show of Powell, lighting candles and
praying for him.
Powell is described by his friends and
fam ily as a light skinned black male, 6
feet 1 in ch tall, 175 pounds, brown eyes
and curly brown hair.
He is said to have ties to Wilsonville,
Gresham and Sandy.
“ W e’ re still receiving tips here and
there,” said Sandy Police Department
Detective Jason Coates. “ Every tip we’ve
gotten we’ve looked into, for example,
someone last week thought they saw him
in Oregon City, but they were mistaken. ”
The Sandy Police Department is still
looking for Powell.
If you .have seen him or have any tips
contact the Sandy Police tip line at 503-
489-2195.
“We’re still lookingfor the public’s help.
It’ s still an open case,” said Coates.