NY NY - Mena Rezkalla, 17, Syracuse, 29 March 2014

[los2188]

Superintendent: Alexandria Central foreign exchange student missing -

ALEXANDRIA BAY —

A 17-year-old foreign exchange student went missing this weekend during a trip to Destiny USA in Syracuse, according to his school. Alexandria Central School District Superintendent Kyle L. Faulkner said the unidentified boy went missing during a trip to the mall Saturday. He said the trip was not a school function. “The authorities have been contacted,” Mr. Faulkner said.

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20140331/NEWS09/703319877

 

[poppygirl]

They need to release a picture!

 

[TripleA]

This school is right up the road from me. I can't figure out how the host family mom left Syracuse without him being with her? Did she report him missing while she was at the mall still? The mall is about 1 1/2 hour from where they live. Where is the photo? Did he have a cell phone? Money? WTH?

 

[poppygirl]

We have a name - Mena Rezkalla, Egyptian exchange student...

http://www.wwnytv.com/news/local/Em...tral-Foreign-Exchange-Student--253227071.html

Wandered away from the group on his own...

ETA:video with pic at link

 

[TravelingBug]

We had another of these in the last year or two didn't we? Indian or Korean I think? And I think also no name/details released....and also at a mall.

Anyone remember details? Or even if he (pretty sure it was a male in that case also) was found?

 

[TripleA]

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index....xchange_student_last_seen_at_destiny_usa.html

Still no photo at all! WTH? How are we supposed to keep an eye out for this young man if we do not even know what he looks like? Seriously?

ETA - Got a photo! A better story too.

http://www.localsyr.com/story/d/sto...-from-egypt-last/19774/XMvL3xZGn0Se_OzXcjvLWg

 

[JLMcKenna83]

Cny Central.com - Missing Egyptian exchange student boarded bus to New York City

Syracuse Police say surveillance pictures from the Regional Transportation Center caught 17-year-old Mena Rezkalla from Egypt getting onto the bus on his own.

News Channel 9 - Police: Exchange student missing from North Country school district boarded bus to NYC on his own

An exchange student who disappeared from a trip to Destiny USA left the Central New York area on his own, according to Syracuse Police.

Sryacuse.com - Missing Egyptian exchange student boarded bus to New York City, police say

Syracuse police said Mena Rezkalla, a Jefferson County student from Egypt, got on a bus to New York City on his own. The bus departed from the Regional Transportation Center in Syracuse.

 

[TripleA]

Just saw the update about the bus to NYC. I wonder if he is trying to go home. NYC is really not a great place for a teenager who is not familiar with the area. Hope that he is okay and that he has contacted his parents.

 

[TripleA]

I heard two rumors today - complete opposites. One I that he is trying to get home and the other that he is avoiding going home. Either way I pray for his safety in the city.

 

[TravelingBug]

Clearer picture (though still from a distance) here - http://www.syracuse.com/news/index...._boarded_bus_to_new_york_city_police_say.html

Curious what makes them say this the way they clearly seem to be emphasizing it...

About 11 a.m. Saturday, Mr. Rezkalla separated himself from the group, which apparently included the mother of his host family, Syracuse police Sgt. Thomas Connellan said Monday.

 

[TripleA]

I assume it is just a word choice and no real emphasis intended - JMO.

 

[ellabella]

Having been part of a foreign exchange program where a participant "defected"(ie. ran away in an attempt to stay) that was my first guess as well. Still hoping he is safe, a lot of these kids don't understand the huge implications of their decisions. I know my friend certainly didn't.

 

[monkey222]

Has he been found in NYC? No respect for program he is in, worrying host parents, spending LE resources, our tax$, IMO revoke visa now.

 

[TripleA]

Nothing new that I can find today. Are they even looking for him in NYC?

 

[nycgrl]

He could be anywhere in the US by now. NYC is a huge transportation hub, especially if he took something like Megabus (which stops in Syracuse) and was transferring. Megabus can be super cheap too if you buy your ticket in advance. I got a roundtrip ticket from NY to Boston for $2 once..

I wonder when his visa was to expire? I may be wrong, but I assume it's not easy to get a visa from Egypt to the US. Or to get it renewed.

Did he have friends from Egypt staying anywhere in the US?

 

[monkey222]

:denied:Student visa based on staying with host family. Now he is on the run. I sure want to know what the follow-up is.

 

[TripleA]

http://www.wwnytv.com/news/local/Missing-Egyptian-Student-Not-A-Terrorist-Friend-Says-253870881.html


"Maybe in his mind his only option was to run away to stay here in America," said Skylar Pastor, a friend of missing Egyptian foreign exchange student Mena Rezkalla.

That's why Pastor thinks Rezkalla ran away from a group trip to Destiny USA in Syracuse and boarded a bus bound for New York City. The two met at a Watertown church last fall.

"He gave me a bookmark actually, an Egyptian bookmark with hieroglyphs," she said. "He was just really nice and sweet. He was polite and friendly."

 

[monkey222]

He is breaking the rules. There are lawful avenues for staying here.

 

[TravelingBug]

http://www.wwnytv.com/news/local/Missing-Egyptian-Student-Not-A-Terrorist-Friend-Says-253870881.html


"Maybe in his mind his only option was to run away to stay here in America," said Skylar Pastor, a friend of missing Egyptian foreign exchange student Mena Rezkalla.

That's why Pastor thinks Rezkalla ran away from a group trip to Destiny USA in Syracuse and boarded a bus bound for New York City. The two met at a Watertown church last fall.

"He gave me a bookmark actually, an Egyptian bookmark with hieroglyphs," she said. "He was just really nice and sweet. He was polite and friendly."

The start of that article strikes me as so odd.

I get that they're quoting the friend (who, clearly is qualified in saying whether he's a terrorist or not. Not. :facepalm but she clearly had said something else prior.

His only option for what? What was he running from or trying to get away from? Or?

Am I alone in feeling like it reads awkwardly or am I just missing something and being very obtuse at the moment?

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

Has he been found in NYC? No respect for program he is in, worrying host parents, spending LE resources, our tax$, IMO revoke visa now.

This sounds a bit like victim bashing since we really don't know anything yet. He is a kid, and in a foreign land, please consider that too.