Dedrick Smith, 26, disappeared from Winston-Salem in October 2006. He suffers from a mental illness and is in need of medication.

His mother, Deborah Smith, wonders every day what happened to her son.

"A mother without her child – there's just no words to explain it. I'm constantly looking for him every day," she said. "If I see someone that kind of favors him, I found myself staring at that person."

On October 3, 2006, Dedrick Smith left his family's home driving his turquoise 1993 Pontiac Grand Am with North Carolina license plates NYB-3645.

"That evening he called me at work. He told me he was OK. I said, 'I'll see you when I get home,'" Deborah Smith said. "Like I say, he called that night to say goodnight and the following morning he didn't come home."

No one has seen or heard from him since and the family doesn't think he ran away. Family members say Dedrick is a loving, churchgoing young man and that brothers, nieces and nephews all looked up to him.

"It's just devastating. That's the only thing I could say. Just devastating, heartbreaking to not know where your child is," his mother said.

Missing Since: October 03, 2006
Last Seen: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Age at Time of Disappearance: 26 years
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 178 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Tattoos: Tattoo of the face of Jesus on his right shoulder; Tattoo of the face of a lion on his left shoulder.
Last Seen Wearing: Shirt and jeans. Note: Dedrick had several changes of clothes in his car.
Footwear: Purple, yellow, red and white Air Jordan sneakers
Jewelry: Gold chain necklace with a medalion pendant
Transportation: 1993 turquoise Pontiac Grand Am, NC license plate NYB3645. Note: vehicle has never been located.

Please contact the Winston-Salem Police Department at 336-773-7824 with information regarding this case.