July 15, 2025

Skye Budnick: Hokkaido, Japan

Skye Budnick: Hokkaido, Japan

We’re taking a short break and using this time to amplify the voices of other creators we love in the true crime space. This week we’re bringing you a story from abroad by Jaimie Beebe of The Last Trip.

21-year-old college student Skye Budnick boarded a one-way flight from Connecticut to Japan in April 2008—and was never seen again. Skye's final confirmed sighting was at a small inn in Noboribetsu, Hokkaido. With no luggage and only her laptop and debit card, she told staff she was heading to Sapporo. A draft suicide note was later found—but no trace of Skye has ever been recovered.

In this guest episode from The Last Trip, host Stephanie dives deep into Skye’s story—her fascination with Japanese culture, signs of personal struggle, and the long, painful search that continues today. We also explore new developments from 2024, including DNA testing efforts and renewed hope from Skye’s family.

If you’re drawn to unsolved disappearances, international cold cases, and the emotional aftermath of mystery, this is an episode you can’t miss.

Visit our website! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Patreon, & more! If you have any true crime, paranormal, or witchy stories you'd like to share with us & possibly have them read (out loud) on an episode, email us at pnwhauntsandhomicides@gmail.com or use this link. There are so many ways that you can support the show: BuyMeACoffee, Spreaker, or by leaving a rating & review on Apple Podcasts.

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This episode discusses topics related to suicide and mental health,

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which some listeners may find distressing. If you or someone

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you know is struggling, please reach out to trusted friend,

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family member, or mental health professional. You are not alone.

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Help is available. In the United States, you can call

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or text nine eight eight the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

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It's available twenty four hours, seven days a week. In

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the UK, contact Samaritans at one one six one two three.

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In Australia, reach out to Lifeline at one three one

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one one four. For other countries, please visit find a

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Helpline dot com for a global directory of mental health resources.

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Listener discretion is advised. Ladies and gentlemen. The captain has

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turned on the fastened seatbelt sign. If you haven't already

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done so, Please make sure the volume of this podcast

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is set perfectly to your listening enjoyment. Please take your seat,

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whether that's on the treadmill, car, sofa, or bed, and

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buckle in for the Last Trip. My name is Jamie

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bb and I'll be your tour guide recreating someone's last

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days in paradise on behalf of myself and everyone behind

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the scenes. Please enjoy the Last Trip podcast, and because

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nobody likes a long flight to get to where they

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want to be, let's prepare for takeoffs. Sky Budnick was

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twenty one years old in two thousand and eight when

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she left Connecticut on a one way flight to Japan

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without telling anyone. After arriving, she was seen at an

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inn in northern Japan. But from there her trail ended

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and the mystery only deepened. No one knows why she

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went to Japan, what happened once she got there, or

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where she is now, But over sixteen years later, her

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family is still actively searching for her, and they deserve answers.

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Where is Sky Budnik? I chose this week's case because

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I'm actually going to be in Japan next week and

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found it while I was researching my trip. I'll be

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visiting Tokyo, while Sky went much further north to the

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area of Hakkaido. Hakkaido is the northernmost of Japan's main

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islands and is more of a destination for nature lovers, adventurers,

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and those seeking a quieter atmosphere. It's almost the opposite

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of a trip to Tokyo. Hakkaido has cool summers at harsh,

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snowy winters, which makes it a top destination for skiing

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and snowboarding. The capital city is Siporo, known for the

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annual Sapporo Snow Festival, Sapporo beer, and my favorite me

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so ramen. Well, Sapporo isn't as much of a tourist

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destination as Tokyo, they have some great reasons to check

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it out. In the spring, the cherry blossoms bloom in

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the summer, the Sapporo Summer Festival and the beer gardens

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bring a big crowd, and of course the Saporo Snow

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Festival in the winter, which features massive ice and snow sculptures.

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While we think Sky made her way to Sapporo, we

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can't be sure, but we are sure that she stayed

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at least several days in the small town of Nibori Betsu.

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Nobori Betsu is famous for its hot springs and natural beauty,

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but in two thousand and eight it wasn't a place

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many Westerners were visiting. Japan's tourism industry was still largely

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focused on domestic travelers, and it was a popular getaway

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for Japanese families, couples, and retirees seeking the relaxing hot

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springs It's a very traditional town with limited English at

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the time, so it would have been difficult for a

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solo American tourist to get around without being fluent in Japanese.

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Sky would have been and was noticed while she was there. Today,

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it's still a little off the beaten path for many tourists,

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but much more popular. The hot springs or onsen bring

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a lot of people to town. Also, Hell Valley, which isn't

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as horrible as it sounds, is actually a striking landscape

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in a volcanic valley with dramatic steam vents and bubbling pools.

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The natural minerals from the hot springs are believed to

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have healing properties, so it's also a popular spot for

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wildness retreats. Like I said, I wouldn't see Hakaido as

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Sky's first choice to stop when visiting Japan for the

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first time, especially because she loved anime and the culture

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so much that Tokyo makes more sense to me. Tokyo

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is a NonStop, bright, twenty four hour maze of people, places,

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and things. I've been trying to plan my trip and

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for everything I want to do, I need to be

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there for at least a year, so I had to

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narrow my list down because I'm only going for a week.

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My main goal is to hit some awesome thrift stores

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because thrift stores in Japan are like my kryptonite. I

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love the older styles and the fashion, and the prices

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are super cheap. I cannot wait to shop there. Beyond that,

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I want to see the Unco Museum, which is a

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museum entirely dedicated to poop. It's bright, fun and glittery,

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and gives you the lowdown on everything that happens in

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the bathroom. Also, they have a bunch of animal cafes

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where you can go and enjoy a coffee or tea

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with hedgehogs, owls, cats, rabbits, ferrets, raccoons, and lots of

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other animals that I'm not sure I've ever seen. For

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all my fellow true crime enthusiasts, there's also a crime

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fighting themed cafe where all the bartenders are actually private

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detectives by day. They'll make you a drink and tell

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you about their day job, which sounds fascinating to me.

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I also plan to visit some unusual public toilets. The

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toilets are encased by transparent glass in a variety of

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vibrant colors and you can see right through them. But

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once you go inside and lock the door, the walls

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automatically turn opaque. Just don't forget to lock the door.

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If you're curious about my trip to Japan, you can

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always check out my Instagram at feather Girls seventy seven.

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But for now, let's get to know more about Sky.

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After a word from our sponsors.

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Sky Lynn Budnick was born on February twenty second, nineteen

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eighty seven, in Connecticut. She has an older brother, Matt,

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and an older sister, Megan. Growing up, sky fell alienated

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in middle school and high school because she had different

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interests than other kids her age. Mainly, she was a

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huge fan of Japanese culture and anime. Anime is basically

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a style of animated TV shows, movies, and online series

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that come from Japan. It's known for its colorful artwork,

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vibrant characters, and wide range of stories that can be

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about anything action, romance, science fiction, fantasy, comedy, or even

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just everyday life. Think of anime as Japan's version of

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animated storytelling, kind of like how the US has cartoons,

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except anime is not just for kids. In the early

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two thousands, anime was just hitting the surface in the

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United States. It was a growing but niche subculture. Back then,

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fans had to rely heavily on DVDs, and sometimes channels

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like The Cartoon Network and Adult Swim showed the more

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popular series. This was also a time that the Internet

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was starting to explode, so anime fans were able to

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find each other on blogging sites and chat rooms. They

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also met up at conventions where they dressed up as

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their favorite characters. Because it wasn't mainstream, anime fans were

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often stereotyped as social, awkward or overly obsessed with Japanese culture.

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Through college and these online chat rooms, Sky found friends

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she could relate to. She was described as very sweet,

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hard working, and deeply introverted. She was shy, quiet, isolated,

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and often struggled socially. Sky went to Central Connecticut State

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University in New Britain, Connecticut, and at the time of

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her disappearance, she was a twenty one year old junior

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studying international business with a concentration or minor in Japanese studies.

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Her dream was to go to Japan, but unfortunately she

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had already missed two opportunities through the Study Abroad program

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because she was failing several classes. Most of her personal

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time was devoted to watching or playing with anime, and

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her struggles to fit in socially were reflective of her

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worstening depression, which was an illness that had occasionally appeared

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and other members of her family. At the end of

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two thousand and eight seven, Sky started messaging her friends

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on Facebook to see if they wanted to buy collectibles

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and possessions off of her. She told them the money

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was to pay for school, but that wasn't exactly the truth.

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Her parents were paying for school and she had student loans,

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so nobody knows why she wanted the money or why

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she'd want to get rid of her things. In the

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beginning of two thousand and eight, there were several disappointments

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in a row that led to a particularly difficult time

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for Sky. In January, Sky either missed or canceled her

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first trip to Japan, but she hadn't told anyone she

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planned to go. The only reason her family found out

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about it was because Skuy's mom received a courtesy call

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notifying her of the missed flight. When she asked Sky

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about it, she claimed she was just looking into flights

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for her friend. Her family didn't think much of it,

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but later found out the flight was hers and was

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never refunded. She was already struggling atadically and then was

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heartbroken to learn in March that her grades weren't good

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enough and she had missed the deadline to travel with

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the Study Abroad program to Japan, and she found out

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that the opportunity would not happen again until after she graduated. Then,

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on March twenty fifth, a good friend of Sky's reached

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out to her on Facebook Messenger, upset and hurt that

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Sky was belittling her Japanese around their friends and making

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fun of her. They chatted and Sky apologized for how

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she acted and they made up, but it did seem

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like Sky was really hard on herself about hurting her friend.

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On that same day, there was a ten dollars charge

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from a travel agency posted to s Guy's bank account.

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Her family later realized this was when the booking process

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was either started or completed for her trip to Japan.

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The next day, Sky reached back out to the friend

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she had argued with and thanked her for being such

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a good friend. That's also when a charge for seven

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hundred thirty seven dollars and forty cents was posted to

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her bank account for the purchase of her flight. Sky's

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last day in the United States with March thirty first,

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two thousand and eight, she was in good spirits with

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her family and asked her mom to bake some of

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her favorite cupcakes. When her sister told her she could

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learn to bake them herself, Sky said she just wanted

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her mom to make them one last time. In hindsight,

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it's rather ominous, but at the time no one thought

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anything of it. Sky was still living at home, but

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that night told her family that she'd be staying with

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a friend on campus for a few days, and that

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was the last time they ever saw or heard from Sky.

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On April first, two thousand and eight, without telling anyone,

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Sky boarded a one way flight to Japan out of

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Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut on United Airlines.

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She left her thousand and five Chevy Aveo parked at

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the airport and took her keys with her, but she

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didn't bring a suitcase full of clothes, rather just her computer,

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Nintendo DS, debit card, and perhaps an outfit or two.

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Her first layover was in Washington, d C, where she

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withdrew eight hundred dollars from an ATM at the airport,

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leaving four hundred dollars remaining in her bank account. On

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April second, Sky landed in Tokyo for another layover at

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three point thirty in the afternoon, and three hours later

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she took the final leg of her flight to Sapporo

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Chitose Airport and arrived there at seven forty five pm.

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So without telling anyone at all, and her parents thinking

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00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:46.679
she's just staying with a friend on campus, Sky flew

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00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:51.639
halfway across the world by herself for reasons unknown. But

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00:14:51.799 --> 00:14:55.639
how was it? No one noticed? Partly because the day

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she left, her sister Meghan, who was twenty four at

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the time and also living at home, ended up in

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00:15:01.480 --> 00:15:05.519
the hospital with medical issues. While all that was going on,

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the family lost track of time and didn't realize they

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hadn't seen Sky in a couple of days. This gave

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00:15:11.960 --> 00:15:14.679
Sky time to get to Japan and spend her first

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00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:18.399
few days there with nobody knowing she was gone. When

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00:15:18.440 --> 00:15:21.240
Sky got to the Chetose airport, she went to the

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00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:24.200
train station but had trouble figuring out how to buy

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00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:26.879
a ticket. There, she met a man who helped her

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00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:29.879
purchase the ticket, and when he came forward as a

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00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:33.080
witness later, he said she was upset during the interaction,

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but I think most people would be. Japan isn't the

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00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:40.240
easiest place to get around, and I'm sure she was

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00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:44.360
tired from her long flight from there. It's unknown where

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00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:47.440
she took the train or where she stayed the night

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00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:51.759
of April second or April third back in Connecticut. It

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00:15:51.879 --> 00:15:54.600
was the evening of April third that her family realized

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00:15:54.679 --> 00:15:57.600
they hadn't heard from her, so the next day they

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00:15:57.639 --> 00:16:00.840
started calling her friends to find her. Skuy didn't have

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00:16:00.919 --> 00:16:04.120
a cell phone, which complicated things, and she told her

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00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:07.080
friends varying stories about where she was and who she

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00:16:07.159 --> 00:16:10.600
was staying with, but no one mentioned her leaving for

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00:16:10.679 --> 00:16:15.559
any kind of trip, especially to Japan. While they were searching,

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00:16:15.960 --> 00:16:18.759
her brother realized he could log into her email on

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00:16:18.840 --> 00:16:21.919
the family computer because she had previously been logged in,

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00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:25.480
and they were shocked to see a flight itinerary for

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00:16:25.559 --> 00:16:30.120
April first to Japan. They called the police, but because

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00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:32.759
Sky is an adult, there wasn't much they could do,

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00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:36.519
so the family went to the airport and found her car,

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00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:40.480
realizing that she really had gotten on the flight. That

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00:16:40.600 --> 00:16:45.360
same day, April Forest, Sky checked into the Kiyomizuya Ryokin

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00:16:45.559 --> 00:16:49.720
in Nobori, Betsu and stayed there for two nights. It's

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00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:53.240
a traditional Japanese inn known for its hot springs that

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00:16:53.320 --> 00:16:57.960
feature sulfuric spring waters. It's also close to popular spots

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00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:01.240
like Hell Valley and the Nebora at sue Their Park.

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00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:06.079
On April fifth, Sky's father, Robert, called the US Consulate

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00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:09.400
General to let them know Sky was missing in Japan.

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00:17:10.359 --> 00:17:14.039
On April sixth, Sky took a taxi to Kruu su

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00:17:14.119 --> 00:17:18.640
Onsen Suzuki Rukin and stayed there for one night. And

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00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:22.759
that's another inn with hot springs that's even less commercialized.

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00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:27.160
The next day, April seventh, when Sky checked out of

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00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:30.279
the Onsen. She mentioned to the innkeeper that she was

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00:17:30.359 --> 00:17:34.519
headed to Supporo. The innkeeper said she didn't seem depressed

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00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:38.680
and was in good spirits. There was no indication anything

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00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:42.559
was wrong, but that was the last ever confirmed sighting

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00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:47.039
of Sky. On April tenth, Sky's sister Meghan and her

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00:17:47.079 --> 00:17:50.920
mom Susan, flew to Supporo because in order to file

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00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:54.079
a missing person's report, they had to do it in person.

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00:17:54.839 --> 00:17:58.759
Once they arrived, they were in complete culture shock. They

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00:17:58.799 --> 00:18:02.240
were met with one road block after another. They were

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00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:05.119
in a country they knew very little about and had

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00:18:05.160 --> 00:18:09.000
almost no help to navigate what was going on. Most

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00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:12.359
people will never realize how truly difficult it is to

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00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:16.400
navigate the search for a loved one, especially in another country,

287
00:18:17.119 --> 00:18:19.319
and it was even harder in two thousand and eight

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00:18:19.720 --> 00:18:23.559
because there was less technology and less social media. Sky

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00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:26.240
didn't even have a cell phone. It was like trying

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00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:30.160
to find a needle in a haystack. On April thirteenth,

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00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:34.000
they held a press conference in Tokyo, asking anyone with

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00:18:34.119 --> 00:18:38.599
information to come forward, but unfortunately, very little could be

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00:18:38.680 --> 00:18:42.759
done because Sky was legally an adult. It was after

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00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:46.039
the press conference that they found out where she had stayed,

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00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:48.319
as well as her run in with the man at

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00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:51.519
the train station, but there were still no closer to

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00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:56.200
finding Sky. Running into numerous dead ends, they left Japan

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00:18:56.279 --> 00:18:59.960
to continue their search from home. Once back in the US,

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00:19:00.359 --> 00:19:03.160
they were able to go through Sky's bank statements and

300
00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:06.640
discovered the at and withdrawal in Washington during her layover.

301
00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:10.920
But how long would eight hundred dollars really last in Japan?

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00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:14.279
Not only did Guy not have much money with her,

303
00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:17.559
but her family questioned how she was able to get

304
00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:21.559
into the country without a visa or a return ticket

305
00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:24.559
into that. Japan said they let her in without one

306
00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:28.440
because sometimes people slip in through the cracks. I'm not

307
00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:31.960
sure that would happened with today's technology, but apparently it

308
00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:35.400
happened then. But her family still didn't think Sky could

309
00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:39.119
have gone through and planned this all by herself. They

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00:19:39.160 --> 00:19:42.279
thought a more likely scenario was that she met someone

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00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:46.160
and they were helping her navigate the trip. After leaving Japan,

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00:19:46.519 --> 00:19:49.799
there were even fewer leads coming in in Sky's case,

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00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:54.400
just didn't get much more attention. That is until years later,

314
00:19:54.839 --> 00:19:57.960
when her sister Megan started speaking up on TikTok and

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00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:02.000
social media. She spoke extensively about what it's been like

316
00:20:02.200 --> 00:20:06.440
searching for her sister over the last sixteen years. Her

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00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:12.480
podcast Surviving Sky is truthful, raw, emotional, and gives a

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00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:15.160
glimpse into what people go through when they have a

319
00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:19.279
missing loved one. I don't think people realize how difficult

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00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:23.480
a disappearance is to navigate, or even just how expensive

321
00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:27.480
it is to continue looking year after year. I highly

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00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:30.759
suggest listening to her podcast or checking her out on

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00:20:30.839 --> 00:20:34.839
social media. Finally, in the spring of twenty twenty four,

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00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:38.279
the Japanese government told Megan and Susan that with the

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00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:42.119
advances of technology, they wanted to run DNA against the

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00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:45.000
Jane does they found, but they had to give their

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00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:48.640
DNA in person, so Megan set up a GoFundMe to

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00:20:48.680 --> 00:20:51.720
cover travel costs and they flew back to Japan to

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00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:56.720
give a DNA sample. Unfortunately, as of September twenty twenty four,

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00:20:57.240 --> 00:21:00.200
they were told the DNA samples they submitted came back

331
00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:03.759
and there were no matches. So what happened to Sky

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00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:12.200
Budnick and where is she now? Guy's trail stops cold

333
00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:15.839
and there are no clues in her disappearance, which means

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00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:19.599
there are a lot of theories. Sky's family believes she

335
00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:23.440
met someone online who lured her to Japan. She was

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00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:26.400
shy and quiet, and they just don't think she would

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00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:29.240
have gone all the way to Japan completely by herself.

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00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:33.079
This could be wise she went to Hakaido rather than Tokyo,

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00:21:33.880 --> 00:21:37.440
the obvious tourists fought, especially for someone who's never been

340
00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:41.680
to Japan, would be Tokyo. Her sister thinks she could

341
00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:44.559
have easily met someone in a chat room online who

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00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:47.000
they instructed her how to leave the way she did

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00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:50.200
where to go, taking very little with her and not

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00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:53.920
telling anyone she was leaving. If she did meet with someone,

345
00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:56.920
anything could have happened. It could have been a love

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00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:59.319
story and they got married, and she's living happily in

347
00:21:59.319 --> 00:22:02.440
a small town somewhere in Japan. And I hope for

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00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:05.759
Sky and her family that is what happened. But I

349
00:22:05.799 --> 00:22:08.240
don't think she would willingly put her family through this

350
00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:11.200
just and devastation of not knowing what happened to her,

351
00:22:11.559 --> 00:22:15.559
especially after all this time. There are people online that

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00:22:15.640 --> 00:22:18.720
catfish for a number of reasons, and if Sky did

353
00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:22.720
meet someone from the internet, it's possible they had bad intentions.

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00:22:23.319 --> 00:22:26.119
I do think foul play is a heavy possibility in

355
00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:29.319
this case, whether she went to Japan to meet someone

356
00:22:29.400 --> 00:22:32.599
who hurt her, or something happened once she got there.

357
00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:38.160
She was young, traveling solo, and inexperienced. Those are all

358
00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:42.240
ingredients that can lead to foul play. There's a possibility

359
00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:45.880
Sky was recruited by a cult. There are a surprising

360
00:22:45.960 --> 00:22:49.559
number of cults operating in Japan. There was even one

361
00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:53.440
recruiting out of Sapporo in two thousand and eight. They're

362
00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:57.279
notorious for having their members cut off all contact with

363
00:22:57.359 --> 00:23:01.759
their families. Another possibility is that Sky went to Japan

364
00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:05.720
to take her own life. Sky had a history of depression,

365
00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:09.680
which is documented by her sister and other family members,

366
00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:13.359
and there were little things looking back that could have

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00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:18.279
been indications of suicidal thoughts. She said things like she'd

368
00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:21.839
die happy after seeing the cherry blossoms in Japan. She

369
00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:25.480
talked about traveling to Japan and killing herself there. She

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00:23:25.559 --> 00:23:27.880
told her mom she wanted her to bake her favorite

371
00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:32.440
cupcakes one last time, and she was selling off her belongings.

372
00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:36.839
Those could all be signs that someone is considering suicide.

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00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:41.160
Many people online have brought up suicide forests in Japan

374
00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:44.319
which is simply a forest that has gained a lot

375
00:23:44.359 --> 00:23:47.480
of notoriety due to the numerous depths. Over the years,

376
00:23:48.359 --> 00:23:51.400
it's become one of the most well known suicide spots

377
00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:56.000
in the world. There are dense trees, people become disoriented

378
00:23:56.119 --> 00:23:59.519
and lost there, and it's got a very dark reputation.

379
00:24:00.400 --> 00:24:03.720
But it's located at the base of Mount Fuji, which

380
00:24:03.799 --> 00:24:06.920
is about twenty two hours by car and ferry from

381
00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:10.400
where Sky was in Hokkaido. If she did go there

382
00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:13.240
to take her life, it's unlikely she did it in

383
00:24:13.319 --> 00:24:17.160
Suicide Forest because someone would have seen her traveling there.

384
00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:21.039
She would have been easily noticed in most places throughout

385
00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:24.880
Japan as a tall, white woman traveling solo. In two

386
00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:29.759
thousand and eight, Sky's family also found an unsent email

387
00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:33.480
in Sky's account addressed to a friend, which could have

388
00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:36.920
been taken as a suicide note, But that note could

389
00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:39.200
also have been just a letter that was never sent,

390
00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:42.519
or a note describing how she wanted to disappear and

391
00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:45.839
start over in a new country. This all happened in

392
00:24:45.880 --> 00:24:49.319
two thousand and eight, and technology wasn't where it is now.

393
00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:53.119
There's no footage of her on camera anywhere She didn't

394
00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:56.240
have a cell phone, and social media wasn't where it

395
00:24:56.319 --> 00:24:59.519
is now, so her disappearance couldn't reach the type of

396
00:24:59.559 --> 00:25:02.759
audience that would today. All they really had to go

397
00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:07.160
on was her Facebook account, emails, and bank account. It's

398
00:25:07.240 --> 00:25:09.400
possible she was able to go to Japan and fly

399
00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:11.960
under the radar in a small town and start a

400
00:25:12.039 --> 00:25:15.799
new life. There's also a phenomenon in Japan called a

401
00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:19.440
hatsup or the evaporating people, and it's a way that

402
00:25:19.480 --> 00:25:23.799
people choose to disappear. They disappear completely from their old

403
00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:28.200
lives and live in secret. They shed their addresses, jobs, families,

404
00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:32.920
change their names, and sometimes even their faces, disappearing for

405
00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:39.200
any number of reasons depression, addiction, sexual impropriety, domestic violence, debt,

406
00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:43.000
or even job or school failures. And it's something that

407
00:25:43.160 --> 00:25:46.599
isn't talked about much, but a lot of people disappear

408
00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:50.640
and live in a kind of society underneath Japan's society.

409
00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:54.400
There are agencies that help people evaporate for as little

410
00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:59.119
as four hundred and fifty US dollars, which wasn't unreasonable

411
00:25:59.160 --> 00:26:02.440
for Sky. I'm not sure they would have helped an American,

412
00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:05.319
but if they wanted the money, then I don't see

413
00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:09.559
why they wouldn't. It suggested that one hundred thousand people

414
00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:13.279
have vanished each year since the mid nineteen nineties, which

415
00:26:13.319 --> 00:26:16.599
is a much higher number than the suicides in Suicide Forest,

416
00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:20.319
which is about one hundred people a year. It's been

417
00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:24.160
sixteen years and there are no clues on Sky's whereabouts,

418
00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:29.160
but someone out there usually knows something, and I think

419
00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:32.160
in this case, someone needs to come forward in order

420
00:26:32.200 --> 00:26:40.960
to find the truth. Until then, everything is just a theory.

421
00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:46.319
Should you travel to Japan, Absolutely, it's an amazing and

422
00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:50.640
safe country to visit. To put it into perspective, the

423
00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:53.680
Japanese crime rate is one fourth the rate in the

424
00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:57.720
United States. There are ten times more murders in the

425
00:26:57.839 --> 00:27:02.759
US than Japan, times more rapes per capita, and two

426
00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:06.759
hundred and eight times more robberies. Japan is at the

427
00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:11.279
top of many general safety rinkings, but the country is

428
00:27:11.400 --> 00:27:14.799
prone to several natural disasters that you'll want to be

429
00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:20.920
aware of. There are typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.

430
00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:25.559
If a typhoon is coming while you're visiting Japan, advanced

431
00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:32.079
preparation is key. Stock up on water non perishable food, flashlights, batteries,

432
00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:35.640
a first aid kit, and keep your essential documents in

433
00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:41.240
a waterproof bag. Familiarize yourself with local evacuation shelters and roots.

434
00:27:42.039 --> 00:27:46.000
During the typhoon, don't go outside. This seems obvious to

435
00:27:46.079 --> 00:27:49.920
most people, but really don't go outside, even through an

436
00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:54.960
Instagram video. Also, stay away from windows, on plug electronics,

437
00:27:55.160 --> 00:27:59.279
and if you can, steer clear of rivers, coastal areas,

438
00:27:59.319 --> 00:28:02.680
and low lying regions that are prone to flooding or landslides.

439
00:28:03.599 --> 00:28:06.839
Earthquakes in Japan are the ones that scare me because

440
00:28:06.920 --> 00:28:11.160
they're usually pretty big. If you're in an earthquake, remember

441
00:28:11.240 --> 00:28:14.920
to drop, cover and hold on. Drop to your hands

442
00:28:14.920 --> 00:28:18.079
and knees, cover your head and neck under a sturdy table,

443
00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:22.279
and hold on until the shaking stops. If you're outside

444
00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:26.400
during an earthquake, move away from buildings, street lights, and

445
00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:30.240
utility wires. Find an open space and stay low to

446
00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:33.559
the ground. If you're in a vehicle during an earthquake,

447
00:28:34.039 --> 00:28:37.599
pull over to a safe spot away from bridges, overpasses,

448
00:28:37.720 --> 00:28:40.680
and power lines, and stay in your car until the

449
00:28:40.680 --> 00:28:44.960
shaking stocks and when the shaking does stop. Remember that

450
00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:48.160
there are usually after shocks and they can also be

451
00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:53.160
pretty powerful. Tsunamis also happen in Japan and are usually

452
00:28:53.160 --> 00:28:57.799
triggered by underwater earthquakes. If you feel a strong earthquake

453
00:28:58.000 --> 00:29:02.519
or hear a warning, act fast, don't wait for official instructions.

454
00:29:02.880 --> 00:29:06.640
Get to higher ground immediately. If you're in a building,

455
00:29:07.079 --> 00:29:09.880
don't use an elevator because there's not going to be

456
00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:14.440
time to take the stairs. Get away from beaches, rivers,

457
00:29:14.599 --> 00:29:18.440
and harbors. Get to the highest most stable ground you

458
00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:21.880
can as quickly as possible, and stay there and tell

459
00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:26.640
authorities declare it's safe. Multiple waves can follow in a tsunami,

460
00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:31.240
and the first wave is not always the largest. Japan

461
00:29:31.319 --> 00:29:34.680
has a lot of active volcanoes that can erupt. If

462
00:29:34.680 --> 00:29:39.920
this happens, follow evacuation orders immediately, wear long sleeved clothing

463
00:29:39.920 --> 00:29:44.160
and a mask to prevent inhaling ash. If evacuation is

464
00:29:44.240 --> 00:29:47.960
not required, stay inside and seal the doors and windows.

465
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Similar to earthquakes, there may be secondary eruptions or aftershocks,

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so be sure to get the all clear from authorities

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00:29:55.680 --> 00:30:00.359
before returning to normal activities. With any emergencies in Pan,

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00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:04.279
to get the police dial one one zero, and to

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00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:08.759
get fire or ambulance dial one one nine. Sky didn't

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00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:12.799
tell anyone she was going anywhere, especially halfway across the

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00:30:12.839 --> 00:30:15.759
world to a country she had never been in. Had

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00:30:15.799 --> 00:30:19.200
she even told her friend, she may not be missing today.

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00:30:19.960 --> 00:30:22.720
Please make sure that, no matter where you're traveling, you

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00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:27.400
inform someone about your plans Before going anywhere, Tell someone

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00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:30.599
reliable where you're going and what you'll be doing, and

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00:30:30.759 --> 00:30:34.160
when to expect you back. My number one tip to

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00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:38.440
staying alive on vacation is to pay attention to your gut.

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00:30:38.839 --> 00:30:46.960
If something doesn't feel right, it isn't. Sky Budnick was

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00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:50.200
twenty one years old when she disappeared, and she'd be

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00:30:50.240 --> 00:30:54.319
thirty seven now. She was last seen on April seventh,

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00:30:54.519 --> 00:30:59.200
two thousand and eight, in the Boribatsu, Akkaido, Japan, by

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00:30:59.200 --> 00:31:04.200
an innkeeper. She's originally from Connecticut. She is white, five

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00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:08.160
feet six inches, one hundred and eighty pounds, brown hair,

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00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:12.880
and blue eyes. Her laptop computer is also still missing.

485
00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:18.240
Her family is desperately searching for her, and they deserve answers.

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00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:21.960
If you have any information at all about Sky Budnick,

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00:31:22.519 --> 00:31:26.440
please call the Southington Police Department at eight six zero

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00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:31.559
three seven eight one six nine eight agency case number

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00:31:31.759 --> 00:31:40.680
zero eight DASH four nine one one, And finally, remember

490
00:31:40.759 --> 00:31:44.359
to leave a review and rate this podcast five stars

491
00:31:44.440 --> 00:31:47.599
if you like the show, or hell even if you don't,

492
00:31:48.279 --> 00:31:50.440
but either way feel free to let me know what

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00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:54.839
you think. Please follow The Last Trip on Instagram at

494
00:31:54.880 --> 00:31:58.400
the Last Trip Crime Pod and subscribe on Patreon to

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00:31:58.519 --> 00:32:03.759
support the show, get extra research, videos, photos and updates,

496
00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:08.000
and even learn more about my personal travels. That's patreon

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00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:10.039
dot com. Slash the Last.

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00:32:09.920 --> 00:32:10.839
To a podcast.

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00:32:11.680 --> 00:32:15.680
I'm Jamiebbe, bringing you your Last Trip and signing off

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00:32:15.759 --> 00:32:18.359
until the next one. Thanks for listening.