On the morning of February 20, 2020, an entire family’s life would forever be changed- and it would be months before everyone realized just how much.
Nicholas Allen, generally called Nick by family and friends, loved the outdoors, fishing, and overall just being your typical 17-year-old boy. He was homeschooled and had his learner’s permit. He was excited about soon getting his North Carolina driver’s license and being able to go wherever he liked. He loved watching YouTube and was a huge fan of The Walking Dead television show.
On Wednesday, February 19, 2020, Nick rode with his mother to take his sister Shayna to work. When they got home, Nick spent some time on his brand new laptop, getting it set up and checking it out. After a couple of hours, Nick and his mom drove out to pick up his sister from work.
Nick’s mom Judy recalls that she was low on gas, and Nick kept pointing it out, worried and wanting to stop for gas. Judy assured him it could wait until the next day- she wasn’t feeling good and didn’t feel like stopping.
When they got home, Judy remembers asking Nick to do the dishes. He agreed but went to his bedroom first. About 30 minutes later, Judy realized the dishes still weren’t done, so she went looking for him. She found him in his room, in bed, and thought he was asleep. She decided to let him be.
The next morning, the kids were waking up for school. Shayna, who went to a local high school, realized the car wasn’t in…
