On August 30, 2020, Florence Okparuk left her shoes, socks and jacket inside a miner’s tent. The Alaskan woman has not been seen since.
For years, Nome police have sought help from multiple agencies, including the Alaska State Police and the FBI. The Nome Fire Department’s volunteer search and rescue team and the U.S. Coast Guard searched for Okparuk. Concerned residents also joined in to help. No trace of the 33-year-old man has been found to date.
The young mother is now the subject of the next new episode. “It went up and disappeared.” The title is “In the Midnight Sun.” This podcast investigates missing person cases across the country.
Missing in Alaska: The mystery of Florence Okpilyuk
Okparuk’s friend Deila Johnson contacted presenter Payne Lindsay to see if she could help raise awareness about the young mother’s case. He didn’t hesitate.
Florence Okparuk, a 33-year-old mother from Nome, Alaska, was reported missing by her family on August 31, 2020. (Blair Okparuk)
“I think there’s a lack of a lot of resources in a place like Nome,” Lindsey told Fox News Digital. “We thought this case could be helped by bringing it back to the spotlight, and that’s what we’ve been trying to do from the beginning.
“Gnome creates a challenging environment to solve a very puzzling missing person case with few solutions.”
Okparuk was last seen leaving his tent on West Beach. According to reports, gold miners are known to be camping in the area. A source claimed to have heard that Mr Okparuk was heading there to party with gold miners.
“There’s a common story about Florence’s last steps,” Lindsey explained. “The night she went missing, she was seen in this person’s tent on West Beach. So we asked around, wanting to figure everything out. She just walked away. It all seemed to indicate that someone or people were potentially responsible for her disappearance.
Florence Okparuk’s case is the subject of the podcast “Up and Vanished: In the Midnight Sun.” (Beck Media & Marketing)
“No matter how you slice it, the story pretty much goes in one direction,” he continued. “She was with a certain person and that person also had some of her belongings. Why did he have those things? Why was she with him? There is no good reason or answer as to where she went after that.”
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Okparuk moved to Nome in 2013 while pregnant with her daughter. At that time, she wanted to give her unborn child a better life. Nome appeared to offer better medical care and schooling compared to Wales, a native village 160 miles northwest of the city. She then took a job with Norton Sound Health Corporation.
Okparuk’s sister Blair previously told Dateline that her brother struggled with alcoholism. Johnson told FOX News Digital that no matter what hardships Okparuk is facing personally, he won’t leave his child behind.
“We understand that something like this is unrealistic and can happen in such a small community,” Johnson explained. “Everyone knows everyone. They go to your church, they shop at the same grocery store as you, so you see law enforcement everywhere. This is a very connected town. … So , when I spoke out about this incident, I said, “She probably left. She just wanted to start a new life.” It was typical, but my reaction was always the same – no.
Payne Lindsay is the host of “Up and Vanished.” (Mike Pont/Wireimage)
“She had a young daughter and she was never going to abandon her,” Johnson said. “Also, the only way to really get out is with a Boeing 737. Unless you have a dog sled in the winter, or come from a cruise ship, there is no other way to get into the existing grid. In this case, having to wander and survive in the tundra is pointless and unrealistic.
“Someone knows what happened.”
Johnson noted that Okparuk is one of thousands of missing Indigenous women and girls across the country. According to the National Crime Information Center, there were 5,712 reported missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls in 2016, also known as Missing and Murdered Native Women (MMIW).
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A 2016 study by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) found that more than 4 in 5 American Indian and Alaska Native women (84.3%) have experienced violence in their lifetime, with 56.1% experiencing sexual violence. It turns out that I have experienced it. More than 1.5 million American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence in their lifetimes.
Anyone with information regarding Florence Okparuk’s disappearance is encouraged to call the Nome Police Department at 907-443-5262. Callers can remain anonymous. (FBI)
The Bureau of Indian Affairs noted that researchers say women are often misclassified as Hispanic or Asian. As a result, the report says there are no reliable numbers on how many Indigenous women go missing or murdered each year.
“The problem is huge,” Johnson said. “The more we dig, the deeper and more complex the problem becomes.…This is not going to go away. We need to create proper awareness.…We are seen as a lower level of society. …People just assume, “She just ran away.” or “She was probably drunk.”
The landscape of Nome, Alaska made finding Florence Okparuk difficult. (Alamy)
Ms Lindsey explained how difficult it had been for some residents to come forward in hopes of locating Okparuk and share any information they might have.
“When I started, it was pretty tough,” he explained. “It feels like an almost impossible mission. Always opening up about what has been a traumatic experience can be difficult for others, or even for those who may have been involved in some way, and for yourself.” It hasn’t been easy, even for those keeping it, but over time, dozens of people have come forward to help put this story together, and many from the community… We want to lay a new foundation for the story, and hopefully it pushes the right buttons.”
According to the FBI, Florence Okparuk is approximately 33 years old, 5 feet 2 inches tall, with dark brown hair and weighing approximately 130 pounds. (Nome Police Station)
Lindsey is hoping that now that the podcast episode has been published, someone will come forward with new clues.
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“All our pursuits are true,” he said. “Even though it feels like a cold case and all hope and life is lost, it’s never really over. In many ways, we’re just beginning. We’re in Florence I’m going to find out what happened.’ One day.
“In cases like Florence, there are people in the community who know what happened,” he said. “Perhaps they are afraid to come forward. Maybe they were involved in something as well. But if we don’t create this pressure and shine a light on this incident, We can’t let things get cold. We can’t keep things a secret forever in this town…and the more people talk, the more likely the truth will come out. I’m very hopeful that someday someone will say the right thing. We’ll find the missing piece. And all the cards will fall.”
Mr Johnson praised Mr Lindsay’s efforts in interviewing people who were initially “afraid” to speak.
Payne Lindsey and Deira Johnson are hoping to get new clues about Florence Okparuk (left). (Blair Okparuk)
“This is a very sensitive topic for our community,” she said. “We wanted to make sure Flo was honored in the right way. … I think the podcast helped start new conversations and allowed us to continue our work and heal. We want answers and we want to make a difference.”
Johnson is similarly determined that her friend will not be forgotten.
“She was a human being,” Johnson said. “She was a young mother who was loved by many. … She still doesn’t have answers for what happened to her. There’s still no justice.”
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According to the FBI, Okparuk is about 5-foot-2, has dark brown hair and weighs about 130 pounds. She was last seen on West Beach. Anyone with information about her is asked to call the Nome Police Department at 907-443-5262. Callers can remain anonymous.
