Last year, during our holiday in The Gambia, my 21-year-old daughter fell in love with a young man from there. To support their relationship, I invited him to visit us in Amsterdam, with the agreement that he would return to The Gambia on August 11 to comply with Dutch immigration rules.

He arrived at Schiphol Airport on June 23, and it was a completely new experience for him. His presence brought light, joy, and spirituality into our home, as he prayed daily on his prayer mat from The Gambia.

However, by the third week, tensions began to surface between him and my daughter. I noticed them struggling with their feelings, possibly due to the pressure from those around them who wanted the relationship to succeed. I too wanted this because they seemed so happy together.

I observed some changes in him; he became more withdrawn and confided in me that he didn't want to return to The Gambia. Just before his return flight, he went to pray at a mosque near the Amstel River and later visited a Gambian friend he met at a festival.

He told my daughter he would be back soon, but he never returned. When I called him, he explained that his Gambian friends in Amsterdam persuaded him to travel to Italy with them.

On Sunday, August 18, the TUI flight departed with one empty seat, and the 700 euros spent on his ticket were wasted. Now, wherever he is in Europe, he is undocumented.

My daughter and I have been through a whirlwind of emotions—anger, sadness, grief, and fear. I’m worried he might have fallen into dangerous hands. We reported his disappearance to the police.

I have lost someone who was not only a good friend but also became a son-in-law. I had hoped he would enjoy his stay, return home, and later come back to settle in Holland. 

Since his disappearance, we’ve heard nothing from him. It’s deeply painful. I just hope he is safe and surrounded by good people wherever he may be.