Dozens attend vigil for missing Ennis mother found dead

Family, friends and volunteers who helped search for a missing Ennis mother who was found dead came together to honor her.

Emily Wade's body was found in a creek south of Ennis on Monday just a little more than two weeks after her family had last seen her. Police say her death appears to be an accident.

Search and rescue divers will search Chambers Creek next week to see if they can locate her car.

The family focused on celebrating Emily’s life on Thursday with the people who helped look for her.

Dozens of people showed up to First Presbyterian Church in Ennis to take part in a memorial service put on by Emily’s family and people in the community.

The 38-year-old single mom disappeared on January 5 after leaving a coworker's home. Both worked at the Chili's in Ennis. Sixteen days later, her body was found by volunteer searchers on a creek bed in Chambers Creek. Police say that area was known to have flooded the night Emily went missing. They believe she got lost driving home from the co-worker's home and ended up driving into a low-water crossing that had flooded. The medical examiner ruled her death an accidental drowning. Her Nissan Altima has yet to be recovered.

Emily’s family is grateful to the community who stepped up to help during those difficult days.

“We wanted to do something just to show everyone that we appreciate them and that they can come out and pay their respects,” said Gracie Smith, Emily’s sister-in-law. “I’ve had people all the way from Rome, Italy, send me stuff saying I feel like I know her. So Emily would be amazed.”

“Too many people take time out of their lives to help somebody that they really didn’t know. Emily brought a community together, I feel like, just like she did back home in Kentucky. It just meant the world to me,” said Chad Wade, Emily’s brother. “We met friends. We have a connection that will have a connection like family will know the rest of our lives.”

After the memorial service, folks gathered at Veteran's Park in Ennis to release lanterns into the sky.

Emily brother said seeing the community come together for someone most of them didn’t even know gives him some peace.

Emily's body is going to be flown back home to Kentucky on Friday. Her mother will accompany her on that flight.