SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) – It’s been a painful month for a Louisiana family whose son has been missing since stormy waves hit Orange Beach, Ala.

The family traveled from Baton Rouge to the beach to celebrate Tyreke Walker’s fourteenth birthday. While in the water, strong waves swept Tyreke out to sea and he has not been seen since.

Tammy Ngyuen, Tyreke’s mother, said when the search began she felt hopeless, but she was not giving up hope.

“When it all happened it was hard but I have a lot to take care of… Hear them [police] saying ‘there’s a good chance’ or there’s a chance at all has kept me positive while trying to stay busy doing whatever I can to help the community. I wanted to be there because they were showing us their support, so we wanted to be there.

Now that more time has passed, Ngyuen says she feels helpless.

“Hearing it slows down a bit [the search], like they don’t really know what to do either, or they’re like “if you have any suggestions, let us know”. It makes me feel like what am I doing? How can I help them help me in this kind of scenario.

Ngyuen said the only time she feels close to her son now is when she is near a body of water, as it was the last place she said goodbye to him. She visited places like Biloxi and Grand Isle, places connected to the Gulf of Mexico, in hopes of finding Tyreke.

Ngyuen asks people to keep Tyreke’s name and story alive. She describes her son as an athlete, funny and charismatic.

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