Missing: Toni Lee Sharpless, 29 Yrs., Gladwyne, PA, 08/23/09
Posted on 09. Sep, 2009 by smckinney in Active Cases, Featured Articles, Missing Persons
09/10/09 — UPDATE: Images observed by our sonar in today’s search are areas of interest only. The images have not been determined to be an automobile. Due to the reconstruction of the boat ramp in December, it is possible that unknown debris will be seen on the sonar. Further sonar and dive team work will help determine what was picked up on today’s images.
09/10/09 — Texas EquuSearch will start a search today, September 10, 2009, for missing Pennsylvania nurse, Toni Lee Sharpless, 29, who disappeared on Sunday, August 23, 2009, after leaving a party she was attending at the home of Philadelphia 76er’s basketball player Willie Green. The search will concentrate of the Schuykill River near Haverford Avenue in Gladwyne, PA, believed to the area she was last seen. We will be starting the search at the Flat Rock Park at River Road.
09/09/09 — Tim Miller is on his way to Philadelphia, PA this afternoon in preparation for a search he will be conducting for missing woman, Toni Lee Sharpless, 29, who was last seen on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
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4 Responses to “Missing: Toni Lee Sharpless, 29 Yrs., Gladwyne, PA, 08/23/09”
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Gigi
18. Jul, 2011
MY THOUGHTS OF TONI
I met a woman during nursing school….she had a troubled past…she and I became friends…I believe in giving everyone a chance to become whatever they want to…she and I wanted to be nurses…If I am able, I will help them achieve their goals, because I have NEVER done anything without the help of others in my life….
Its amazing how much we really do not know about the people we spend time with…everyday, at work, church, school, in-between at our Dr.’s office, the dentist, eye Dr., bank, GROCERY STORE, wherever we are in our community; just how much do you really know about the people that surround you???
Toni was a beautiful and stylish woman. That’s how I remember her. Young, Fresh, Smart, She was an individual. She sat across from me in the back of the auditorium where we took our nursing classes. As a class we were spread all over the room. We were a cliquish class. It just happens with women. I suppose Toni and I sat in the back to observe the bullshit and avoid it as well. Problem was, I was the President of the class; avoiding bullshit for me was impossible. Kind of like – bullshit follows me wherever I go. Yeah right. Toward the end everyone started getting on my every last nerve – including Toni! Toni started out studying on her own, but when things got thick she joined our study group – Jenn, Denise, Shannon, me, Nikki & Heather. Most of the time it was Jenn, Denise, Nikki & me, but the others would tag on a lot. Toni started feeling the pressure and I started noticing her erratic behavior. It was known that she partied a lot and went out on the weekends. Like I said she was smart and didn’t require as much study time as the rest of us. I called her out on it and she told me she was bipolar and had a drug addiction….Great. She told me her Family knew her issues and where helping her.
Shannon’s parent offered us a house at the shore for a weekend to celebrate our upcoming graduation. We struggled with inviting Toni…but we all agreed in the end. By this time everyone in our group knew Toni’s issues. Heather said she would watch her. I was the oldest of the group and the mother figure I guess, because when the shit hit the fan the fun stopped. Shannon was pregnant and scared that Toni was going to bring strange people in the house and it was making Shannon nervous and upset, so I decided we were ALL going to stay at the house. Anyway….We start to have a great time until Toni gets stoned and starts acting crazy. Toni spent a lot of time in the bathroom and we knew whatever she was doing in there was not good. She could barely stand up or keep her eyes open. She was a mess. Weekend ruined and everyone is pissed at Toni!
Fast forward to last weeks of school, she came to a clinical juiced up and I told her she needed to leave. She stayed, put me in a compromising situation, I told an instructor, and Toni was told to leave. After that my name was mud (you are what your friends are….Right? NOT!) with the instructors and the class.
I understand addictions. I have an aptitude for it, and I wanted to help Toni. She was sooo close. In my mind if she could accomplish this she could rise above anything. I was delusional. Things spiraled from there. She went into rehab. Did some bullshit out patient treatment and finished nursing school. Did not graduate with our class but graduated none the less and passed her boards after a lot of legal red tape. Toni continued to go to out patient treatment but also continued to go down hill. She was lying to everyone.
I introduced her to my Step-Brother thinking that might get her away from her drug crowd, but she just got worse. How I thought he would be good for her was a mistake on my part. He is an ass. I told him about her problems and he seemed to know her crowd. I thought he’d watch out for her. She go so drunk one night after being out with him that she got obnoxious and he sent her packing. He said she embarrassed him in front of his friends (does he really have any?) and he took her home. She got in her car, evidently going to go back and see him to try and make-up but got into a car accident. She hit a pole and was taken to Brandywine hospital. She was patched up, no charges were filed, and she was stent home again…I think picked up by her mom… (Woman is a Saint). This happened all the while Toni is trying to take her boards….Pissed me off! So I broke off contact with her. Her mother called me one day; told me she was appreciative of all the help I gave Toni with the nursing school and personally. I told her I believed Toni had what it took to be a good nurse but she was going to have to finish this on her own. That is what we all thought she was doing…..
She passed her boards, got a job at Lancaster General Hosp and was doing well. She was taking her meds and we spoke/texted once in a while. Always planning on getting together and doing something to try and catch up. Never happened. The next thing I hear about Toni is on the news – MISSING.
She went out with a girl named Crystal Johns – loser friend from Toni’s past. They went out clubbing – City-line ave & King of Prussia areas, and ended up at a 76er Basketball player’s house – Willie Green, and was never heard from again.
Story is from Ms Johns is that Toni got juiced up and started getting verbally inappropriate. Making some racial slurs that pissed off their host and he sent them packing. Ms. Johns left with Toni. She says that Toni got mad at her and kicked her out of the car and took off. Leaving her on the street (still unclear exactly where that spot was). Toni was never seen again. IF that is really what happened….
Ms Johns claim is that she called someone to come and pick her up. They did, she went home and called Toni the next day and could not get in touch with her. Last call Toni ever made was to her Daughter telling her to get some sleep and that she loved her….that was around 2 or 3am…. Willie Green, his party goers and Crystal Johns are the last ones to ever see Toni alive.
Toni’s friends and family called every one they could think of to assist with searching for her. Friends made up flyers and t-shirts, blogs, websites, called TV stations, assisted in searches. Equu-search- Tim Miller came up from Texas and forced the local police department to assist with searching the Schuylkill in Gladwyne, which is near the location where Toni was last seen.
Toni’s parents have reached out to everyone they can think of to help them; police, psychics, detectives, friends ect….Where is Toni? She is missed by her family, her daughter, and her friends. It’s been 2 years. How does a person just disappear???? Who is gonna finish the job of finding Toni? Is there anyone who can help?
Toni,
This is my message to you. I never stop thinking of you. I pray for you to come home.
If you are still alive, I pray you look past whatever has befallen you and know that there are people who love you and care about you. No-matter-what, they want you to return. Don’t believe the lies you may be hearing telling you different.
I can not pretend that you may still be alive. I expect the worst, I have lost hope that you are alive so I pray for your body or bones to be found. Your family and friends need closure and you need peace.
Gigi
Maria
25. Sep, 2009
I don’t know Toni or her family, but I do live in West Brandywine Twp.
There are so many fields and wooded areas. Is there anyway PUBLICLY to give this story more press and ask that people check the fields / woods surrounding their homes?
Has Swinehart Rd been thoroughly searched?
I’ve passed by a few times and noticed a spot where it appears that a car could have gone in and there’s even a road sign knocked over into the woods.
I can’t see anything from the road & there’s no place to pull over and look further.
Perhaps if the public knew which routes she *might* have taken, we could be more effective in the search.
My prayers go out to Toni and her Family.
LZ
09. Sep, 2009
Ain’t no mountain high Ain’t no valley low Ain’t no river wide enough to keep us from getting to you Toni !
God Bless Tim Miller and Nancy Grace !
adamsmom
09. Sep, 2009
Thank you so much for coming to help find our friend Toni