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But I know it would not walk off. He loved his son and he loved his girl beyond. I mean, my most parents do,

but they were his life. When he came here with us, he looked after them like, I mean, in a fixer.

Here, he helped him dress. He's just another person that would walk and leave his family. Even I think that he was where he could call.

He would contact somebody. I just don't have any idea why he would just walk off.

Brandon got along with everybody. You never heard anything ugly said about Brandon ever. He was just such a likable, easygoing guy.

So for him to just up and disappear, I have my gut intuition just to who's behind it, but there's no praise.

In December of 2015, 42-year-old Brandon Helms was temporarily living with a friend in Lakeland, Georgia.

Brandon and his wife had recently separated, and Brandon was navigating this new territory. He wanted to make his marriage work. He loved his wife and adored their daughters.

On December 14, Brandon's wife called his parents to ask if they had seen or heard from Brandon, but they hadn't.

The friend that Brandon was living with said that Brandon was there when he left the house that morning. But when he returned to check on Brandon, he was nowhere to be found.

Brandon's truck was there along with his phone, cigarettes, and jacket.

Search and rescue responded and searched the area, but they never found any trace of Brandon Helms.

The case went cold for several years, until law enforcement decided to take a second look. Perhaps things weren't as simple as they appeared on the surface.

I'm Marissa, and from Wondery, this is Episode 366 of The Vanished. Brandon Helms' story.

If you're into True Crime, the Generation Y Podcast is essential listening. We started this podcast over 10 years ago to dissect some of the craziest and most notable murders, crimes, and conspiracy theories together, and we'd love for you to join us.

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In late 2015, Christmas was on the horizon, but this Christmas wouldn't be like other years. Brandon wanted to be home with his wife and daughters, who were looking forward to everything the holiday season has to offer.

It had been a tumultuous year for the Helms family. Brandon's wife, Misty, wanted to separate. Brandon wanted to make things work, but things weren't always like this, and Brandon so desperately wanted to go back to the good days when they were happy together as a family.

Brandon Helms was born and raised in Cordial, Georgia. Roger and Gail Helms had three children, Todd, Brandon, and Kelly.

We first began researching this story back in 2019, and interviewed Roger and Gail for the first time. Gail told us about Brandon's early life and personality.

Brandon was a sweet child. He was a loving child. We never had each other with Brandon. He kept his stuff a little bit, but he was a loving guy. He loved his family. He was a caring child.

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