He left a New Year’s Eve party in 2020. He hasn’t been seen in 2021

As the one-year anniversary of Zack Lefave’s disappearance approaches, his family and friends haven’t given up hope that he’ll be found.

Lefave, 20 at the time, went missing on New Year’s Eve in 2020 after attending a party. He hasn’t been seen since.

Kimberly Morton, Lefave’s cousin and family media spokesperson, tells CityNews Halifax she never expected his disappearance to go on this long.

“He just liked biking and video games,” she said. “He was a regular 20-year-old boy, partying on New Year's Eve with his friends.”

Before his disappearance, Lefave had a job at Dayton Red & White, a local food store in Yarmouth, where Morton said he got along really well with his co-workers. Morton credits the company for helping raise the reward for information on Lefave, pledging $20,000. 

Lefave’s loved ones created a timeline of his disappearance and shared it on their Facebook page, BRING ZACK LeFAVE HOME, which has more than 11,000 members.

Morton said Lefave spent the day four-wheeling with friends before attending a New Year’s Eve party.

His family said Lefave left the party around 11:49 p.m. according to a witness who was on the phone with him.

Less than 15 minutes later, Lefave took his final phone call and was last seen around 12:25 a.m. walking toward Yarmouth.

According to the RCMP, Lefave was last seen walking “on Highway 334 in Plymouth on Jan. 1 at approximately 12:15 a.m.”

The RCMP conducted extensive searches over the next several days in conjunction with Yarmouth, Clare and Barrington Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) teams.

After just four days, the search was suspended and police noted “there is no indication of criminality at this time.”

Lefave’s phone hasn’t been recovered, something his family believes could hold a clue to his disappearance. 

Lefave is described as white, 5'9″ and 175 pounds. He has brown facial hair, brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a hat, plaid shirt and shorts.

The investigation remains ongoing. In a statement, RCMP spokesperson Lisa Croteau asked anyone with information who hasn’t come forward to contact the Yarmouth police detachment. 

Croteau said Lefave was last seen talking on a phone.

“Investigators have sought out and followed up on information and leads throughout the past year, and continue to do so,” Croteau wrote.

Morton said her phone is always open to any kind of information, even a rumour, that might help shed light on Lefave’s disappearance. She wishes the police could have done more, but admits “they’re doing what they can with the resources they have.”

If Morton could say one thing to Lefave today, she’d tell him they should’ve spent more time together growing up. 

“This whole situation has woken a lot of us up to [the idea that] maybe we should talk to our family a little bit more before something happens, she said.”