KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A family desperately wants their son back as the search for a Kansas City FEMA worker, last seen in Cape Girardeau Friday night, intensifies.
Nate Hubert was on assignment in southeast Missouri, but didn’t show up for work Saturday. His parents said they feel helpless but are not giving up hope.
Their son has worked for FEMA out of the Kansas City office traveling across the country on assignments for nearly 8 years, according to mom Gayle Hubert.
She said Nate is passionate about helping people.
“We’re just having a hard time,” Gayle said. “Can’t eat, can’t sleep. A roller coaster of emotions.”
Parents Gayle and Ed Hubert are in Cape Girardeau where police said that’s where someone last spotted their son.
He’s a data analyst with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Ed said Nate has been on assignment in Cape Girardeau since June 10.
Authorities said the 32-year-old was last spotted at a Holiday Inn Express on Friday. When he didn’t check in for work the next day it caused concern.
“Nate is smart, and he’s done a lot of hiking. He climbed Kilimanjaro. He’s climbed Machu Picchu,” Gayle said. “It’s so unlike him.”
Gayle said Nate’s also an Eagle Scout. She said park rangers are keeping an eye out at state parks, like Trail of Tears.
Some of his friends traveled to Cape Girardeau to help search.
They’ve checked cameras and posted his picture across the area – anywhere he may be located.
“It just gets worse every day. We just feel helpless and depressed,” Gayle said. “It’s just so hot out there and we don’t know what to do.”
“Nate’s a good person. He’s the sort of person that would stop and help change a tire if he saw you had a flat on the highway or pick you up if you were stranded. I guess our fear is something like that happened, or something bad has happened,” Ed said. “It’s been good to hear from friends and family and how much Nate was loved by everybody. We want everybody, if they’ve heard something or saw something, to report it to police.”
Nate’s rental car was last spotted on Friday at 10:30 p.m. in Jackson, Missouri, about 10 miles northwest of Cape Girardeau, however, police said they couldn’t see who was driving.
Anna Featherston is holding out hope for his safe return.
“It is very important to me, his friends, his family that he shows up safe,” Featherston said.
She met Nate through the Kansas City Symphony Chorus. He joined in 2016. She said he loves music and his last performance with the Symphony Chorus was at the Kauffman Center in October.
“Nate is a truly kind individual,” Featherston said. “He has the ability to make friends with a lot of different people and bring community together.”
Ed said police allowed them inside Nate’s hotel room on Monday. They found Nates guitar, keyboard and his other personal belongings left there.
“It was a little heartbreaking,” Ed said. “His music gear was all still there, his guitar and things, so that’s concerning.”
They’re grateful to the people who’ve reached out to help. Gayle is asking for prayers.
“I just hope he’s safe,” Gayle said. “I hope we can hold him soon.”
