Family of Lee Boxell remember him 36 years on as they become inspiration for new film Reawakening
The family of a teenager who disappeared over three decades have refreshed their appeal and become inspirations for a new film.
Lee Boxell was 15 when he was last seen in Sutton, South London on 10 September 1988.
Lee told his friend he was considering going to watch Crystal Palace play at Selhurst Park but hasn't been since.
His father, Peter Boxell, said: "My son Lee is a lovely boy, very kind, he would always help anybody who needed help.
"He used to play on the green out on front with the other kids, and if one of the young ones was hurt, he'd be the first that would go to their aid."
At the time of his disappearance he was described as white, five foot eight with a medium build with grey eyes and brunette hair. He was seen wearing a white Flinstone's t-shirt, black jeans and brown suede shoes.
His family have stayed in the same home since, hoping he would come home.
"We decided we should stay here incase Lee is alive and could come home," said Mr Boxell.
"This was Lee's home and we keep his room very much as it was when he was here in 1988, and we think if Lee comes home, we want him to think nothing has changed.
"We've coped with his disappearance by carrying on as normal hoping he would come back and find everything unchanged."
The family have become the inspiration of Bafta-nominated-writer-director Virginia Gilbert's latest film, Reawakening.
The film tells the story of a couple who are divided on whether the missing child that reappears is really their daughter.
Ms Gilbert said: "There was so much overlap in terms of both the psychology of the characters in my story, but also the details of how Peter [Lee’s dad] had continued to search for his son…and I was stunned by how closely art in this case had imitated life.”
One event that features in the movie is something that happened to Mr Boxell when somebody told him that his son was working in Greenford market, and he went down and though the boy looked similar it wasn't him.
"I watched the film at the premiere, and it was gripping, very emotional from and I could relate to many pats of the story and I felt a great in contact with the characters in that story, i knew what they were going too," said Mr Boxell.
"I think it's great that this story will be watched by a lot of people who have no idea what it's like to have someone go missing but one they see the story they'll have a better understanding of what people are going through."
Lee's family have also been supported by Missing People, a charity founded in 1993.
"They've been helping us ever since and give us a lot amount of support, enormous amount of publicity, and there's always someone down the other end of the line who can talk to us," he explained.
The family are now hoping they can get some closure and begin the grieving process.
Mr Boxell continued: "Since Lee went missing, we've always hoped he would be alive and come home, we're really living in hope.
"My wife and I are getting old and we just want to find out what happened whilst we're still alive.
"I see my grandson especially when he was little and he's so much like my son.
"My grandson is just a little bit older than when lee disappeared and he reminds me very much of my son, I do call him Lee occasionally and he understands.
"Because we don't know what happened to Lee, we just haven't been able to grieve properly, the grieving process is something we are just waiting to start."
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