THE family of missing Macquarie Hills man Patrick Thaidy said they were "humbled" by the number of people who joined a community search for the much-loved husband and father.
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Mr Thaidy's children Jessie and Tyrone said they felt thankful and proud so many people wanted to help bring their father home.
"You have my eternal gratitude," Tyrone said.
"I'm humbled to have so many people mass [gather] in large numbers to help search. There's good people out there."
Tyrone described his father as a "very good man".
"He's quite a gentle man, a funny man, a great father," he said.
"He achieved so much in his life, suffered enough, but in the end he's still a humble unbroken man in this cruel world."
Ms Thaidy said anyone who knew her father "has got nothing bad to say about him".
"He was the man, he is the man," she said.
"Daddy Boo, get home. Get home, Dad. Please."
More than 100 people met at Ulinga Park, Cardiff South, on Sunday to search for Mr Thaidy.
One group led by Search Dogs Sydney scoured local bushland, while the other travelled by cars across the Hunter to put up posters and search at train stations, main streets and places of refuge.
"It feels better having more eyes, more hands doing this, because it's quite stressful ... it's a bad time and I appreciate all the help," Ms Thaidy said.
Mr Thaidy, 60, was last seen at his Delasala Drive Macquarie Hills home about 12am on December 6.
Lake Macquarie Police District officers have searched Macquarie Hills bushland several times, with assistance from emergency service resources.
Police and the Thaidy family hold grave concerns for his welfare due to his medical conditions.
He's never gone missing for this long before.
He was captured on CCTV about 9.25am on December 6 on Macquarie Road at Cardiff and about half an hour later on Macquarie Road at Warners Bay.
Ms Thaidy and family friend Julie Rose asked event organisers Tanaya Williams and Brian Dowd to help them co-ordinate the search.
Ms Rose said Mr Thaidy was well known in the area, had dementia and chronic diseases and didn't have his medication.
"I want to keep in everyone's mind that he is still missing, he is an Aboriginal elder, he's a family man, he's not well, he doesn't know where he is," Ms Rose said.
"We need to bring him home, we want to keep this fresh in everyone's minds, we don't want it to go cold, we don't want people to forget. This is just the start of what we're going to keep doing."
Ms Thaidy and Tyrone said the past month had been "insane" and they didn't know what had happened to their father.
"It's tough to say really, because he could possibly be in someone's house, but I don't know... they'd probably call someone," Tyrone said.
"I've got that many things running through my head, it's not just one thing, or nothing's happened," Ms Thaidy said.
"I'm thinking everything, I've been through everything, every scenario. It's cruel.
"We've got to find him, we've got to find my dad.
"He doesn't deserve this. He's achieved a lot in his life, he's a good strong man, so I think he's still out there."
Helen Gregory
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
