‘Just want my baby home’: Mum pleads for help in search for missing Auckland man

Tyler Porter has been missing from the Arkles Bay area on Auckland’s Whangaparāoa Peninsula since Wednesday last week. The community and police are working tirelessly to locate him, with his mother expressing deep concern and a heartfelt plea for assistance.

Tyler Porter, a 20-year-old described as kind, well-loved, and full of life, was last seen in the Arkles Bay area on Wednesday. His mother, Shara-lee, has been at the forefront of the search, sharing her son’s details and appealing to the public for help.

According to police, Tyler was last seen wearing black shorts, a white T-shirt, black DC shoes, and a black hat. He had gone to a friend’s place on Tuesday, something he often did, and last texted the family on Wednesday. His mother said he usually stayed one or two nights and would reach out daily or return home for his favorite meal of steak and eggs.

“He usually reaches out every day or he comes home – like he loved to come home for his steak and eggs,” she said. “But by Thursday it started to feel a bit wrong, and by Friday we got the police involved.”

Shara-lee described her son as tall, gentle, and deeply loved by the local community. “He’s six foot four, with distinctive blue eyes and very bright, thick black lashes. He gets quite shy when people compliment his eyes,” she said. “Everybody loves him. The elderly people in the community especially loved him. He was helpful at the grandparents’ groups.”

Porter, who had a passion for motorbikes and scootering at the skate park, was between jobs at the time he went missing. His mother emphasized that the family is trying to stay strong, but the situation is heartbreaking: “I just want my baby home.”

She urged anyone with information to contact the police, even if they think it’s not relevant. “Even if you don’t think it’s relevant, something from Wednesday to Saturday, it may be able to help the police or the family.”

Police have expressed serious concerns for Tyler’s welfare and are appealing for the public’s help in locating him. The community’s support and the family’s emotional plea have brought attention to this urgent situation, with many hoping for his safe return.

This story was reported by Sanda Arambepola, a national journalist based in Christchurch, who has contributed to Stuff’s digital platforms with high-quality content on a wide range of topics including news, world, business, sport, and lifestyle.