The 30-year-old Kitchener resident mysteriously disappeared in 2002.
“He would be 50 now, I can’t even imagine,” his mother Linda Shaw told CTV News.  “You know, what would that look like?  Would she start a family?  Children?”
His family is still appealing to the public to help them find out what happened.

MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE

Since the day David went missing, his family say they have been left with very few clues.
“He was planning to go out for a friend’s birthday,” explains one of David’s sisters, Colleen Stevens.
On the night of his disappearance, David went to what was then Club Renaissance in downtown Kitchener.  His family said after the bar, he went to a friend’s house.
“Neighbors had reported hearing a fight but don’t know who was involved.  Other than that, we have very little,” says his mother.
According to Waterloo Regional Police, David was last seen that evening at his residence on Mill Street.
David was supposed to meet friends and Colleen the next day, but he never showed any commitment.
“I just had a feeling something was wrong,” says Colleen.
Days after he went missing, police confirm a dog matching David’s description was found roaming the streets near his home.
A few months later, officials say David’s car was also found near his home.
David MacDermott’s mother and sisters spread out pictures of him on the kitchen table.  (Krista Sharpe/CTV Kitchener)

DAVID “Was ALWAYS SMILING”

David’s mother and younger sisters shared photos of him at the kitchen table as they shared memories.
Linda says the staff nicknamed him “prince” when he was born because he was the only boy born at the hospital that day.
“He was a fun, happy, go-lucky guy,” says Colleen.  “He knew a lot of people, had a lot of friends and was always smiling.”
David’s younger sister Amanda Shaw describes him as “the typical protective big brother”.
The 30-year-old went missing just before Amanda’s 11th birthday.
“Many of the memories I have with him have unfortunately been lost,” he explains.

THE LONG SEARCH FOR ANSWERS

His family and investigators are convinced that the answers they are looking for still lie with a person or people in our community.
“Twenty years is a long time to keep a secret like that,” says Colleen.
He adds that he gets angry knowing that “there is someone who knows what happened to him.”
That’s why the family continues to share his story, hoping to find answers.
“Please help us do this,” adds his mother Linda, appealing to those with information.
“If anyone has it in their heart to be able to help us move on from this and be able to put David to rest.”
“We just want answers,” says Amanda.  “And more than anything, we just want to give my brother some rest and closure.”
David McDermott.  (Submitted)
Waterloo Regional Police say they are still investigating David’s disappearance.  At the time of his disappearance he was described as six feet, one inch tall, 186 pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes and had a small tattoo of a ladybug between his shoulder blades.
In 2002 and before, police say David frequented several Kitchener and Waterloo stores, including Roxanne’s, Club Renaissance, Silver Spur and Howl at the Moon.
Anyone with any information can contact the Waterloo Regional Police Missing Persons Unit at 519-570-9777 extension 8738 or if they wish to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Please Bring Me Home, an organization that works with the families of missing persons across the country, you can also contact anonymously.