27th DECEMBER 2004

The first trip to Cambodia ...

Eddie's dad, Mike, and older brother, Elliott, go to Cambodia. They register Eddie's disappearance with the British Embassy in Phnom Penh. They alert local police and hospitals to the fact that Eddie has not been heard of since he sent an email from Phnom Penh saying he was setting off to return home to the UK. That email was dated October 24, 2004.

By complete chance, Mike and Elliott happen upon a taxi driver who remembers taking Eddie to the Capitol Guest House in Phnom Penh in October. Mike and Elliott go to the guest house and find Eddie's signature in the register. It was dated 21 October and confirms that Eddie was where he said he was when he sent his last message to his family.

JANUARY 2005

Eddie's website is launched ...

A chain email letter is sent by various friends, alerting a world wide circle of friends to the Gibson family plight and linking them to the website www.eddiegibson.net
The response was immediate and heartwarming.

11th FEBRUARY 2005

Eddie's mother Jo makes the trip to Cambodia

Traveling with her now husband Tony Clark, Eddie's mum goes to Cambodia to search for Eddie.

They tell his story on Cambodian TV, and it is featured in all the English language newspapers in Cambodia.
Many people make contact via email to joclark17@yahoo.co.uk offering their help. They meet with British embassy officials.

Jo says 'We spoke at great length to the Ambassador and all the staff at the Embassy. They all offered their help, albeit very limited as there are only 6 staff at the embassy. They explained there was a terrible problem with chemical produced drugs being sold out on the streets at a very cheap price and that 5 Westerners had died in the past month. However, all the bodies had been discovered.'

Eddie's mum and his stepfather travel throughout the country

They put up posters and pictures of Eddie. 'Through our posters a Cambodian girl came forward to say she had been with Eddie throughout the 3 weeks he was in Phnom Penh' explains Jo. 'She told us she was missing Eddie, as he had been a great strength to her. She described how our son helped her family when her father died; he paid for some of the funeral expenses. She took us to see her family and to see a video of the funeral. Eddie was clearly identifiable in the video'. 

Jo continues 'Eddie left his Cambodian friend on the 24th October saying he was going to Thailand to get some more money but that he would be back in a week. The same day he emailed me saying he had seen enough and would be coming home on the 1st Nov on a Thai Airways flight. He did have a reservation on that flight but never checked in at Bangkok Airport.'

MARCH 2005

A third trip to Cambodia

Mike (Eddie's dad) and a close family friend revisit Cambodia. They meet with all the people who have been involved in helping find Eddie, including all the British Embassy officials. However they leave with no fresh leads.

APRIL 2005

Find Eddie support group is set up

A group of close family friends form a committee to offer their help in the search for Eddie. Their main aim is to raise awareness and keep Eddie's name in front of the public. They produce 'Where is Eddie' badges as well as leaflets, flyers, and bright orange wristbands with the website address on them. These are sent to Cambodia and Thailand and are being distributed in bars, clubs, guest houses and internet cafes. If you would like to help with this distribution please contact the group via joclark17@yahoo.co.uk. You can download posters in English and local languages from this site. Please display them where you think it might help

APRIL 2005

A reported sighting

A Thai girl in Bangkok who knew Eddie from the time he was traveling in South East Asia on his gap year reports seeing Eddie. She says she saw him in a club where she works called 'Lava' on Ko San Road. She dates her sighting to 'sometime after December 2004'. She is positive it was Eddie.

A second report

On 10th April an American Royal Marine based in Pattaya seems convinced he had a drink with Eddie in a bar. Although he never knew his name he later recognized the poster he saw and said he thinks it was Eddie.

MAY 2005

UK media interest is sparked

British newspapers including the Telegraph, Times, Express and local newspapers feature Eddie's story. The interest follows a press conference at which Tim Blackman speaks up for the Find Eddie campaign. Tim Blackman is the father of Lucy Blackman who was murdered in Tokyo in 2002. BBC Radio and Television carry the story. See BBC From Our Own Correspondent and Southern Counties radio

JUNE 2005

A walk for Eddie

Family members, friends and supporters of Eddie walk on the Sussex Downs near to the family home to reaffirm their commitment to finding this 20 year old young man who has now been missing since October 2004.

JUNE 2005

Private Investigators in Cambodia are employed to help the family continue the desperate search for Eddie. Speaking on behalf of Eddie's father, Mike, stepfather Tony - and brothers, Elliott, Jez, Matt and Max, his mum Jo says: 'We love him and we miss him. We want him home.'