CAMPBELL COUNTY, Tenn. — On the morning of Aug. 6, 2021, Donna Hawkins said goodbye to her two adult sons, Scott and Tracy, as they headed out the door.
They were going out to hunt for ginseng, a frequent activity of theirs. Hawkins hasn't seen her sons since.
She reported them missing to authorities in 2021. Since then, there have been no leads in the case, Campbell County Sheriff Wayne Barton said.
"I would walk through fire for these families," Sheriff Barton said. "If I could find some way to find out what happened to these individuals. Because they need to know."
At the time of their disappearance, Tracy was 44 years old and Scott was 51 years old. Scott left behind three children. Hawkins has relied on her faith over the last three years, she said. As time has passed, she said she's come to the realization that her boys aren't coming home.
"I know where their souls are. God has told me that. They're in heaven. But it's the part of not knowing what's happened to them," she said.
Barton said as a case gets older, it can be more challenging to find out the truth. Some community members have sent in tips on the case, but they've led to dead ends.
"Probably for every 100 tips you get, one of them has validity," he said.
After her sons failed to come home for dinner three years ago, Hawkins went to the spot where the two always parked their truck when they would go ginseng hunting. The men were nowhere to be found.
Hawkins has no idea what could have happened to them. But if they were still alive, they would be with her, she said.
"I know they're not coming back," she said. "I've come to reality with that. But I need to know what has happened to them."
If anyone has any information about the whereabouts of the brothers, Hawkins is asking them to reach out to law enforcement. Sheriff Barton said the same, even suggesting folks reach out to his personal cell phone number. He can be reached at 865-617-1899.
The sheriff's office can be reached at 423-562-7446. No rewards are currently offered in this case, but the case is still active.