KATHIE Case, the sister of missing Williamtown man Michael Fowler, said she was hopeful she would see her brother again, but it was "torture" not knowing where he was.
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As part of Missing Persons Week, Mrs Case and family are pleading with the public to phone police if they had seen or knew of Mr Fowler's whereabouts.
Mr Fowler, who turned 55 in May, lived a quiet life in the caravan he rented at Williamtown. For years he had battled severe depression but he was regularly in touch with his sister and brother-in-law who live in Newcastle, which was why Mrs Case became extremely worried after four days of not hearing from him.
She and husband Geoff last heard from Mr Fowler one day before he disappeared on Friday, July 3.
"He was making a cup of coffee as I left [his house]," Mr Case said.
All weekend however Mrs Case could not get hold of her brother. On the Monday afternoon, she and Mr Case drove to Mr Fowler's Cabbage Tree Road home to see if he was okay.
The caravan lights were on. His recliner was faced towards the television, as normal. However, the rug he usually had on his lap was on the floor and the small heater knocked over.
The sliding door was open, but his two cars were in the driveway and his tobacco was inside, along with his wallet, phone and medication.
"All he walked out with was what he was wearing," Mrs Case said. "It's out of character for him to disappear like that."
CCTV placed Mr Fowler at Williamtown McDonald's about noon on July 3, with footage from a police highway patrol car showing him sitting on the side of Nelson Bay Road, about 200 metres from the fast food restaurant, near the 100 km/h speed sign.
Mrs Case said it was odd that no one had come forward if they had picked him up from the side of the road, but did not believe he had taken his own life.
"Michael had plans," she said. "Geoff and Michael were talking about buying a greyhound. He was going to sell his car for a new ute, was going to move closer into town, we were going to go on a holiday to The Entrance like we did as kids."
Mr Fowler is of Caucasian appearance, with light-brown hair, blue eyes, 165 centimetres tall and of medium build. At the time he was last seen, he was wearing dark clothing, white joggers and possibly a khaki-coloured, military-style jacket.
Anyone with information is urged to phone Raymond Terrace Police Station on 4983 7599 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Missing Persons Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of the issues and impacts surrounding missing persons and will end on Saturday.