LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A missing Louisville mother was remembered this weekend.
Countless tips have come in the last two-and-a-half years since Andrea Knabel disappeared from the Audubon neighborhood, and her family is still hoping she'll be found.
Andrea Knabel's family met up with friends and supporters on Saturday, celebrating what would have been her 40th birthday by spreading awareness of her disappearance.
"Raising awareness for Andrea, to help bring her back, is one of the few things that makes this somewhat okay, just to have a birthday without her," said Erin Knabel, Andrea's sister.
Though a few years apart in age, Andrea and Erin share the same birthday.
"I was hoping to get her back so that we could celebrate this milestone today with her turning 40," said Erin. "But unfortunately that didn't happen. So, the next best thing is doing what we can to find her."
Groups spread out to post missing flyers around the city, hoping to spur more leads.
"We've been getting hundreds and hundreds of leads coming in daily," said Ted Leonard, one of the private investigators who's been working the case.
He feels confident, one way or another, they'll find her.
Andrea Knabel
"Especially with some of the recent tips that's come in," Leonard said. "That's kind of re-energized us and put a new fire underneath us and give us some more motivation to push, push, push."
Leonard says that includes information from someone who knew Andrea well.
Erin also says they were told someone recently logged into Andrea's social media, and investigators are trying to determine if it's connected to her case.
"The way I look at it is there's no proof she's no longer with us, my hope is to still find her in any way, shape or form alive," said Erin.
The family seeking any new tip and leads possible — but that, too has an emotional toll.
"You know, getting excited thinking you're about to find your sister - it's even worse when it comes crashing down and it's not her," Erin said. "So, you just try to keep it level and just take things as they come."
In the meantime, the family continues to pray and encourage the community to keep spreading the word, to keep sharing Andrea's story.
"It's extremely important to finding her. This is how most missing people are found. Most of the leads we get, they come from social media shares," Erin said. "This is how we get her back home."
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