John Simpson just wants to bring his daughter home.

John and Cindy Simpson are the parents of Ashley, who went missing on April 27, 2016 from Yankee Flats near Salmon Arm. She was 32.

John flew from his home in Niagara on the Lake in Ontario and met with RCMP Major Crimes officers in 琉璃神社 Friday. He brought to B.C. T-shirts and hoodies with slightly different designs, all with a photo of Ashley, most with a message about Canada鈥檚 missing women. One of his favourites is a hoodie with the message: 鈥淎nd sometimes against all odds, against all logic, we still hope.鈥�

His voice catching with emotion, John says the visit to the RCMP has changed his outlook.

He explains that, as a parent, you think of all possible scenarios: maybe your daughter was kidnapped and she will escape, maybe she鈥檚 captive in a commune somewhere, maybe she鈥檚 a victim of human trafficking, maybe she鈥檚 been taken prisoner in a prostitution ring.

Although police are tight-lipped about their investigation so as not to jeopardize it, John wanted to know if they are looking for a missing person or suspecting foul play.

鈥淔oul play is the answer they gave me,鈥� he says, unable to say more for a moment as he struggles to contain his grief.

鈥淲e鈥檙e setting up a memorial at home until we find her. We鈥檙e hurting as a family unit because of this, but if we can get her home, it will be better.鈥�

So John will now focus on locating Ashley鈥檚 body.

鈥淲e hung onto the hope that maybe she was kidnapped and maybe she could break away. But it鈥檚 not an option anyone else is considering.鈥�

He explains his wife is a believer in the power of mediums, so they have consulted two.

The mediums have twice mentioned Margaret Falls. John says he would like to search a couple of creeks in the area, conditions permitting, before he returns to Ontario.

Friday, till 9 p.m., he was holding a meeting at Silver Creek Hall so people would stop in and speak to him.

鈥淎nybody that wants to come in they can, discuss whatever they want to discuss,鈥� adding that he wouldn鈥檛 mind forming a search party for next week. 鈥淚f I get help, that will be better, but I鈥檓 not afraid to do it alone.鈥�

Regarding the meeting, he said that after a year, maybe somebody鈥檚 going to have a bit of remorse and say something.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 know. I can鈥檛 sit at home and do nothing.鈥�

Finding the person or people who harmed Ashley is on the back burner for him at this point. He said he has confidence the police are doing everything they can, so he鈥檒l leave that job to them.

鈥淩ight at the moment I need to find her.鈥�

Last time John was here, he searched and found clothes by the side of the road, but they weren鈥檛 Ashley鈥檚.

He found a suitcase up the mountain, but it wasn鈥檛 Ashley鈥檚.

He spent $10,000 on that trip to the Shuswap, and he expects another $7,000 this time 鈥� 鈥渕y life鈥檚 savings,鈥� he says.

As a former military man, John doesn鈥檛 understand why the military 鈥渃an send up to 6,000 troops to Quebec to handle a flood, but why they can鈥檛 send a couple hundred to come search 鈥� they have the gear 鈥� and let these families rest.鈥�

He refers to other missing women whose families are tormented. He says the military can conduct a search much more easily than the RCMP can.

Although a year has passed, Ashley鈥檚 disappearance has left such a hole in her family members鈥� lives.

John talks about 10-year-old Emma, his granddaughter. She and Emma were 鈥渢he best of friends鈥� and Ashley was named her godmother.

鈥淪he said she鈥檚 not smiling ever again 鈥� and she hasn鈥檛.鈥�

He explains that Ashley was wonderful with children, singing to them, making crafts, entertaining them.

鈥淪he was 鈥楳iss Sweets鈥� 鈥� she dressed up for kids for their birthday parties. She was a people person and she loved kids鈥� For my 60th birthday, she put on a big show for us, puppets and stuff. She was really, really good.鈥�

Ashley has three sisters, two of them step-sisters; John loves them all dearly.

He and Ashley had a special bond, however. He refers to his Icelandic, Viking heritage, and how he loves adventure and travelling. As did she.

John is a cook, and Ashley would join him, working and travelling.

鈥淒iamond mines, road crews, the lodge鈥� She鈥檚 sort of my sidekick.鈥�

Ashley鈥檚 disappearance has given John something of a mission. Along with finding Ashley, John wants the country to do more to find missing women and to help their families. He wants to set up a society to help families; the T-shirts and hoodies are part of that plan. He refers to Caitlin Potts and Deanna Wertz, who have also gone missing from the North Okanagan/Shuswap, Wertz from Yankee Flats.

鈥淚t鈥檒l be a mission for me to try and accomplish and ease the pain and suffering of others. If we could find even one of the three to ease the suffering it would be great.鈥�

John hopes that people in the community won鈥檛 forget Ashley and the other missing women.

鈥淚 hope that people will remain diligent and remember that there are missing people out there and, as a community, try to find these people. Don鈥檛 let them go by the wayside鈥� As a community, try to find them. When you鈥檙e out on your walks鈥� be observant.鈥�