MARY AND DOUG LYALL

Mary and Doug Lyall and Suzanne Lyall

Mary and Doug Lyall are the parents of Suzanne, who was last seen Monday, March 2, 1998 at 9:45 p.m. exiting a CDTA bus at Collins Circle on the University at Albany Uptown Campus. Suzanne was a sophomore at the University of Albany. Since that fateful day when Suzanne disappeared, Mary and Doug have worked tirelessly in search for their daughter and in service to other families suffering similarly. They established the Center for Hope and have accomplished a great deal in honor of Suzanne.

The Center for Hope, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing resources to educate, assist and support families and friends to cope with the pain and uncertainty surrounding the ambiguous loss of a loved one; to reflect, remember, and to join with others in recognizing and honoring all missing persons. As such, Mary and Doug were committed to creating a memorial in honor of all missing persons. They succeeded in having a beautiful tribute created in Albany, New York that features an eternal flame signifying the light guiding loved ones home. In addition, in 2003 they successfully passed federal legislation, Suzanne's Law, that requires police to notify the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) when someone between 18 and 21 is reported missing, as part of the national Amber Alert bill. Mary and Doug were also instrumental in creating the New York State Campus Safety Act, which passed on a federal level in 2008. They also created the Assault and Abduction Free School Zone Bill, a computerized system to report information about missing persons to all toll booths and rest stops on the New York Thruway, a mandate to profile missing persons on the New York State Income Tax forms, and a proclamation declaring April 6th Missing Person's Day in New York. Mary and Doug also helped establish a partnership with The Nation's Missing Children Organization and Center for Missing Adults. They also worked with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice to develop the Investigative Guide for Missing College Students. Throughout all of their efforts, Mary and Doug remain hopeful that someone, someday will come forward with information that will lead them to Suzanne.

The Center for Hope