Skye Budnick (Missing Woman)

A troubled young college student unexpectedly books a one way ticket to Japan before disappearing entirely.

Nickname: Unknown
Alternative Name: Unknown

ニックネーム: 利用不可
別名: 利用不可

La Apoda: Desconocido
Nombres alternativos: Desconocido

Disappearance (失踪) (Desaparición)

Location: Noboribetsu, Hokkaido, Japan 
Date Missing: April 1, 2008 (Tuesday)
Suspect: Unknown

位置: 登別、 北海度、 ジャパン
失踪日: 2008年4月1日（火）
容疑者: 利用不可

Falta de: Noboribetsu, Hokkaido, Japón
Fecha de: 1 de abril de 2008 (martes)
Sospechoso: Desconocido

Circumstances (状況) (Circunstancias)

In 2008, Skye Budnick was a young junior at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Connecticut. She was studying International Business with a specialization or minor in Japanese Studies chosen grounded in her long passion for Japanese entertainment and culture. 

She comes across as a sweet young woman, hard-working but deeply introverted. Those around her described Skye as a quiet, isolated, and shy girl who struggled to make friends or to adapt socially; although she seems to have had a small friend group with whom she was close. Although she was struggling academically with her college courses when she disappeared, she was never in trouble at school.

Most of her personal time was devoted to watching or playing with Japanese anime and manga, something she had enjoyed since she was a middle school student. The only school activity she is known to have participated in regularly was the anime club, and she had become truly passionate about learning more of Japanese history and culture. 

On her personal Facebook page, she also shared a few of her own older small comics based on a little stick figure cat named ‘Sticky.’ She did not however post very frequently and her last note is dated October 17, 2007 [It says last edited March 13, 2021, but I assume that is her family?]. 

Concerningly, Skye’s struggles to fit in socially were reflective of a worsening tendency towards depression, an illness that occasionally appeared in her family. Circumstances around her were proving difficult as she adapted to life after high school, and she struggled to find her place in the world. 

In January 2007, Skye posted online about being deeply unhappy at her workplace; the situation does not appear to have improved by October based on her later posts. Her depressive tendencies were worsening, but she refused to seek medical attention, insisting she could handle the situation alone. Sources suggest that several disappointments in a row made early 2008 a particularly difficult time for Skye. Already struggling academically, Skye was heartbroken to learn in March that she had missed the deadline to travel with the study abroad program to Japan. It had long been her dream in life and she found out that the opportunity would not reoccur until after she graduated from the university. Unhappy at school, unhappy at work. . . Skye also had an argument with one of her closest friends.

Then on the first day of April, Skye simply flew away from everything.