Jelani Day, a 25-year-old graduate student at Illinois State University, has been missing since Aug. 24 and his family is asking for help from the public.
Day was last seen on Aug. 24 entering the Beyond / Hello retail shop in Bloomington, Ill. at 9:12 a.m. He was wearing a black Jimi Hendrix t-shirt, white and silver shorts, a blue Detroit Lions baseball hat and black shoes. Day’s car was also caught on surveillance footage at the shop.
His family reported him missing after he had missed several classes and they could not reach him. A Illinois State University faculty member was also with the family to report Day missing.
The student’s car was found in a wooded area in Peru, Ill. on Aug. 26 around 4:20 p.m. by officers from the Peru Police Department. The officers were responding to a call about an abandoned car near the Illinois Valley YMCA and found Day’s car hidden in a wooded area. The clothes Day was wearing on Aug. 24 were found in his vehicle.
The Bloomington Police Department searched the area with drones and K-9s but found nothing. His brother, Seve, posted a message to Twitter asking people to share his brother’s story, and one Twitter user commented on the lack of news coverage given to the missing medical student compared to missing 22-year-old Gabby Petito. The Petito case received national news coverage and help from the FBI.
“This is my little brother. He been missing for 3 weeks as of today now. Please help me and my family find him, one retweet can make a huge difference. I love him so much #FindJelaniDay I’m never giving up The hashtag #FindJelaniDay is circulating Twitter.”
This is my little brother. He been missing for 3 weeks as of today now. Please help me and my family find him, one retweet can make a huge difference. I love him so much #FindJelaniDay I’m never giving up 🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/TrIDCG4Bph
— BALANCE🧙🏿‍♂️ (@SeveAkaSwave) September 15, 2021
Gabby Petito is blasted everywhere as it should be but I wish they had the same energy with Jelani Day. #FindJelaniDay pic.twitter.com/QVHYmwAuTy
— your homegirl (@Officially_Jas) September 19, 2021
Help us bring Bro. Jelani Day (’18 NE) home safe. If you have any information or have seen Jelani please contact BFD Dispatch 309-820-8888 or contact Det. Paul Jones at 309-434-2548 or pjones@cityblm.org.
💜 #findjelaniday #bloomingtonillinois #jelaniday pic.twitter.com/LrF6DBuyBg— Omega Psi Phi (@OfficialOPPF) August 30, 2021
The family wants to share his story in hopes that someone knows Day’s whereabouts. His mother, Carmen, said that she feels like not enough is being done to find her son.
“We don’t have a lot of information,” she said. “I don’t feel like I’m getting the help that I need… I’m imploring, pleading and asking that the police still pay attention and look for my son.”
His family, friends and his fraternity Omega Psi Phi are asking for help from the public, as are law enforcement authorities. The police want to speak to anyone who saw Day while he was wearing the clothes found in his vehicle and are asking the public to contact Detective Paul Jones at 309-434-2548 or at Pjones@cityblm.org. Day is 6′ 2″ and weighs 180 pounds. He has short black hair and brown eyes.
We are praying for Jelani’s safe return.
