Update: We are officially dedicating this fundraiser to help identify "Olean John Doe" found unconscious in Olean, NY in July 2023.

Across our region, there are men and women who remain nameless—known only as John or Jane Doe. Each one was someone’s child, sibling, or loved one. Their families are still waiting for answers, and we are determined to help change that. As co-owner of The Missing Link Family Tree LLC, alongside Cindy Urbaniak Gibson, and in partnership with WNY Missing & Unidentified, co-founded by Merry Williams-Diers and Jo Patterson, we work closely with law enforcement to help identify these individuals using forensic DNA.

While advanced DNA testing can finally bring answers, the process is costly. We donate all of our genealogical research time—so every dollar you give goes directly to the lab work needed to restore a person’s name and identity. Your support helps families find long-awaited closure and helps law enforcement close cases that have remained mysteries for years.

These are not just cases—they are real people who deserve to be known and remembered. Even a small donation brings us closer to identifying one more Doe and reuniting them with their family’s history. Together, we can make sure “unidentified” is never the final chapter.