As November 29 looms—the day Jack Sullivan should turn 5 with balloons, cake, and family cheers—his loved ones in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, prepare for a milestone steeped in quiet sorrow. Jack and his 6-year-old sister, Lilly Mae Sullivan, have been missing for 178 days since May 2, 2025, when they wandered from their Gairloch Road home in Lansdowne Station. What began as a frantic neighborhood hunt has evolved into a province-wide vigil, with volunteer group Please Bring Me Home announcing a major grid search November 15 as one last push before winter blankets the trails.

Mother Malehya Brooks-Murray shared the heartfelt birthday message on social media Wednesday, capturing the raw ache of celebration without her children. “To know this sweet boy will turn 5 years old next week (29th), is devastating,” she wrote. “A birthday should be filled with balloons, cake and presents, music, celebration and fun but this year it will be filled with such heartache.” The post, amplified across Facebook groups like Bring Jack and Lilly Home, has garnered thousands of shares, with strangers sending virtual hugs, donated toys for future parties, and pledges to join searches.

The siblings were last seen May 1 at a New Glasgow Dollarama, dressed in everyday play clothes—Jack in a blue dinosaur shirt, Lilly in pink leggings. Initial reports described them exploring near their rural property, sparking massive early responses: over 10,000 volunteer hours, RCMP ground teams, drones, and cadaver dogs that turned up no signs in September. Polygraph tests and court-released documents in August cleared family members, refocusing efforts on the vast wooded areas, steep riverbanks, and abandoned wells common to the region.

RCMP Major Crime Unit continues leading, with a $150,000 reward for information leading to resolution. Spokesperson Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay noted Wednesday that tips—over 800 processed—remain active, including recent sightings near trails. “The community’s endurance inspires us,” he said. “Every shared flyer, every walked path matters.”

Please Bring Me Home’s November 15 event, staging at Lansdowne Community Hall, expects hundreds: trained searchers, K9 units, and drone operators combing priority zones identified from summer efforts. “Winter is coming fast—we need all hands for Jack’s birthday wish,” coordinator Brett Robinson urged. Sign-ups via their site surged post-announcement, with donors covering hot meals and gear.

Brooks-Murray, joined by stepfather Daniel Martell and extended family, has kept vigil through fundraisers and awareness drives. A birthday fundraiser launched Thursday aims to stockpile toys and clothes in the children’s sizes—”for when they walk through the door,” she explained. Already at $45,000, it funds private investigators and billboards along Highway 104.

Online, support pours in. #HappyBirthdayJack trended briefly in Atlantic Canada, with parents posting photos of their own kids blowing out candles “for Jack.” Schools in Pictou County plan moment-of-silence assemblies November 29, releasing blue and pink balloons—Jack’s favorite colors.

Experts note young children in rural areas can cover surprising distances, sustaining on berries or streams, but time erodes odds. Advocacy groups like Child Find Nova Scotia stress sharing age-progressed images, now circulating showing Jack with a gap-toothed grin and Lilly’s growing curls.

As the search date nears, RCMP urges caution against rumors that once swirled online. “Focus on facts and tips,” Tremblay advised.

For Brooks-Murray, every day blends hope and heartache. “178 days missing, they are beyond missed,” she posted. Yet in the face of winter, Nova Scotia refuses to dim the light—volunteers lace boots, families hold photos close, and a little boy’s birthday becomes a beacon.

Anyone with information: RCMP 902-485-4333 or Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 anonymous. Search registration: pleasebringmehome.com.

Jack and Lilly, the province whispers: Come home for cake.