Episode 33
"Up and Vanished" host Payne Lindsey joins the program to discuss the focus of "Up and Vanished: In The Midnight Sun" - The Disappearance of Florence Okpealuk.
Thirty-three-year-old Florence Okpealuk was last seen on West Beach in Nome, Alaska.
When Blaire could not reach her sister, she posted on Facebook, asking if anyone had seen Florence, and began searching around town. Florence had not been to work or the grocery store, and neither her ex nor her friends had seen or heard from her. Blaire felt she had exhausted all leads when Naomi, a bartender at Board and Trade, messaged her. Naomi said she last saw Florence on her birthday, but a man at the bar claimed he saw Florence on West Beach with a miner the night she did not come home.
Blaire and several family members canvassed West Beach, asking anyone willing to talk if they had seen Florence. Eventually, a man told Blaire he saw Florence leaving a nearby tent around 4 p.m. He asked Blaire to wait while he rummaged inside his tent, then returned with Florence's socks, shoes, and jacket. Bewildered, Blaire asked where Florence was and why he had her belongings. The man became quiet but insisted he did not bring Florence to West Beach and claimed he found her belongings outside his tent.
An older man in the neighboring tent offered a different account. He said he saw Florence with his neighbor the night before, riding down the beach on an ATV. The ATV did not return until the next morning, but his neighbor was the only rider.
Blaire reported Florence missing at 6:15 p.m. that evening, two days after she last saw her sister.
Payne Lindsey, host of the "Up and Vanished" podcast, traveled to Nome to investigate Florence's disappearance. Lindsey contacted Naomi, the bartender from Board and Trade, who received a tip from a patron that Florence was last seen on West Beach. Naomi said the man who reportedly saw Florence worked as a freelance gold miner and also drove a taxi for Checkers Cabs. He lived in a tent on West Beach and was known locally as "Oregon John.
Trailer
Recently Updated Shows
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Seth Meyers, who is Saturday Night Live's longest serving anchor on the show's wildly popular "Weekend Update," takes over as host of NBC's Late Night — home to A-list celebrity guests, memorable comedy and the best in musical talent.
As the Emmy Award-winning head writer for "SNL," Meyers has established a reputation for sharp wit and perfectly timed comedy, and has gained fame for his spot-on jokes and satire. Meyers takes his departure from "SNL" to his new post at "Late Night," as Jimmy Fallon moves to The Tonight Show.
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation
The cast of Jersey Shore swore they would always do a vacation together. Now, five years, five kids, three marriages, and who knows how many GTL sessions later, the gang is back together and on vacation in a swanky house in Miami Beach.
Survivor
Eighteen to twenty castaways will compete against each other on Survivor. All castaways will compete to outwit, outplay, outlast and ultimately be crowned Sole Survivor.
