The mother of Corrie McKeague, 23, has spoke of facing another week 'waiting for the call', as more than 40 weeks pass since he disappeared.
The RAF Honington based serviceman disappeared at 3.24am on Saturday, September 24, last year.
For the last 17 weeks police have been scouring a landfill in Cambridgeshire, believing that Corrie's body could have been dumped there.
Marking the past 40 weeks, which has also seen Corrie's girlfriend April Oliver give birth to Corrie's daughter, Nicola posted a photo of her son on the eve of him joining the RAF.
In an emotional message, posted yesterday, to the tens of thousands of people, police, volunteers and friends who have supported the family, she said she still believes that if her son is in the landfill he will be found by police.
MORE: Search continues for Corrie McKeague 280 days since his Bury St Edmunds disappearance
'Today it is 40 weeks since my son Corrie disappeared,' she posted. 'This photo was taken for us, looking at it now reminds me of how it filled me with pride.
'It was the night before Corrie left to start his career in the RAF. Corrie's family and friends spent the night together having such a good time.
'Talking about how proud we were of him and all the things he could achieve. We spoke of fears too but never in my lifetime did I or any of us close to him there that night did we ever imagine we would be here today.
'Just like being a parent there is no rule book for something like this. All anyone can do is what they believe to be the very best they can do.
MORE: Girlfriend of missing airman Corrie McKeague announces birth of their baby
'For me, that's trying to remain positive. It's difficult but we are coping. We are coping because of the amazing support we have.'
She listed friends, some the family have gained since Corrie vanished from the centre of Bury St Edmunds, but also Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue volunteers, police officers and members of the Find Corrie Facebook group.
She added: 'It breaks my heart that you have had to join us on this journey, I cannot find words to express our gratitude, when I'm struggling I find myself turning to your comments, your kindness is overwhelming, your support unwavering and it is honestly what gets us through.
'I am now so truly blessed to have the most beautiful granddaughter in the world – all nannies get to say that – it breaks my heart but fills it with joy at the same time.
MORE: Corrie McKeague landfill search to continue as teams find items from Bury St Edmunds dating back to September'Thank you so much for all your kind wishes. From myself and April.'
Speaking of the landfill search at Milton, outside Cambridge, she praised the officers who have battled through searing heat and torrid rain in recent weeks.
The search was instigated after the revelation that a commercial bin, in the horseshoe area off Brentgovel Street where Corrie is last recorded entering, actually weighed enough to contain a person of Corrie's weight.
This combined with the mobile phone trace, which travelled from Bury St Edmunds to Barton Mills at a similar time to the bin lorry which emptied the bin, prompted the search.
Nicola continued: 'The search will continue next week and further if needed. Suffolk police will not stop searching the landfill until they are positive it has been done thoroughly.
MORE: Difficult to remain positive says Nicola Urquhart, mother of missing man Corrie McKeague
'On this, they have my complete trust. After a week of unbearable heat for those working outside they have now spent a week in atrocious conditions with officers having to wade through a meter of water, they have faced problems but have managed to overcome them and continue searching for Corrie.
'The rubbish the police are finding is still from exactly the time period they are searching for, so as I said last week, Corrie could be found at anytime but equally it could still be weeks until the landfill search is completed – but I truly believe that if Corrie is in the landfill Suffolk police will find him.
'We face another week of waiting for 'that call' but we will get through this week just like the last 40.'
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