On the eve of the first anniversary of one of Nova Scotia’s most haunting missing children cases, the grandmother of little Lilly Mae Sullivan and her brother Jack has broken her silence in an emotional, tear-filled interview that has left viewers across Canada reaching for tissues.

Belynda Gray, speaking exclusively to CTV Atlantic News on Friday, May 1, 2026, opened her heart about the devastating disappearance of six-year-old Lilly (now seven) and four-year-old Jack (now five), who vanished from their home in Landsdowne, Pictou County, on May 2, 2025. In the raw and deeply moving conversation, the devastated grandmother revealed never-before-seen footage that captures the children’s final known happy moments — footage that has only deepened the mystery and the family’s agony.

“I still can’t believe they’re not here,” Belynda said, her voice cracking with emotion. “Lilly and Jack were the light of our lives. Every single day without them feels like a nightmare we can’t wake up from.”

The Full Interview: A Grandmother’s Agony One Year On

Sitting in her modest living room filled with photos of her missing grandchildren, Belynda Gray spoke candidly for nearly 45 minutes — her first extended public interview since the children vanished without a trace. What emerged was a portrait of a close-knit family shattered overnight, a community still desperately searching, and a grandmother clinging to hope while battling overwhelming grief.

“Lilly was always the little mother hen,” Belynda recalled with a sad smile. “Even at six, she looked after Jack like he was her baby doll. She’d help him with his shoes, share her snacks, and tell him stories at bedtime. Jack was our little comedian — always giggling, always into something. He loved his trucks and dinosaurs. How do two beautiful children just disappear?”

The interview, conducted exactly one year to the day before the anniversary of their disappearance, comes as police continue to treat the case as high priority but have released few new details publicly. Belynda’s words carry the weight of a family that has spent 365 days in limbo — posting flyers, attending vigils, and praying for a miracle that has yet to come.

The Chilling New Footage Revealed

In the most emotional segment of the interview, Belynda shared previously unseen home video footage recorded just days before the children vanished. The tender clips show Lilly and Jack playing in the backyard of their Landsdowne home — Lilly pushing her little brother on a swing, both of them laughing as they chased bubbles in the spring sunshine.

“Look at them,” Belynda said, pausing the video as tears streamed down her face. “They were so happy. So innocent. This was taken on April 28th. Four days later they were gone. I watch this every night. It’s all I have left of their voices.”

The footage, which CTV Atlantic aired during the interview, has since gone viral, with viewers describing it as both heartwarming and heartbreaking. In one clip, Jack runs toward the camera shouting “Nana, watch me!” while Lilly waves proudly. The normalcy of the scenes makes their disappearance all the more incomprehensible.

Police have reviewed the footage but have not commented on whether it contains any clues. For the family, it serves as both a precious memory and a painful reminder of everything that was stolen from them.

The Day Everything Changed: May 2, 2025

According to the family’s account and initial police reports, Lilly and Jack were last seen at their home in Landsdowne, Pictou County, on the afternoon of Friday, May 2, 2025. The children were reportedly playing outside in the rural community when they seemingly vanished into thin air.

Despite extensive searches involving RCMP, volunteers, drones, dogs, and helicopters covering dense woodlands, fields, and waterways, not a single trace of the children — clothing, footprints, or belongings — has been found. No ransom demands have ever been received.

Belynda revealed in the interview that the family had been preparing for a quiet weekend at home. “It was a normal Friday. The kids were excited about the weekend. Lilly wanted to bake cookies. Jack kept asking when we could go fishing again. Then… nothing.”

The grandmother admitted the family has replayed every moment leading up to the disappearance thousands of times, searching for anything they might have missed.

A Family Torn Apart: One Year of Hell

The Sullivan family has been living in what Belynda describes as “pure torture.” Lilly and Jack’s parents have aged visibly under the strain, while siblings and extended family members struggle with the constant uncertainty.

“People ask how we’re coping,” Belynda said. “We’re not coping. We’re surviving. Some days I can’t even get out of bed. Other days I drive the back roads for hours calling their names.”

The emotional toll has been immense. Belynda spoke movingly about the milestones her grandchildren have missed: Lilly’s seventh birthday, Jack turning five, Christmas, Easter, and countless ordinary days filled with laughter that will never come again unless the children are found.

Community Response: Pictou County Refuses to Forget

Landsdowne and surrounding Pictou County have rallied around the family in extraordinary fashion. Regular searches continue, yellow ribbons remain tied to trees and lampposts, and billboards with the children’s faces still line highways across Nova Scotia.

Local residents have organised fundraisers, prayer circles, and awareness campaigns. Many told CTV Atlantic they check the woods and fields near their homes almost daily, even a full year later.

One neighbour said: “Those kids belong here. We won’t stop looking until they’re brought home — one way or another.”

Police Investigation: What We Know One Year Later

The RCMP has confirmed the case remains active and that hundreds of tips have been investigated. While no arrests have been made and no persons of interest have been publicly named, officers have not ruled out foul play, abduction, or — in the most hopeful scenario — that the children wandered off and are somehow still alive in the wilderness.

Belynda used her interview to make a direct plea to anyone with information: “If you know something, anything at all, please come forward. Even the smallest detail could bring them home. We just want to hug them again. We want to tell them how much we love them.”

She also appealed directly to Lilly and Jack, should they be alive and able to see the message: “Lilly, Jack — if you can hear Nana, we’re still looking. We never stopped. We love you so much. Come home.”

The Heartbreaking Reality of Missing Children in Canada

The Sullivan case has brought renewed attention to the thousands of missing children cases across Canada. Advocates say cases involving young children in rural areas are particularly challenging due to vast search territories and limited surveillance.

Belynda expressed frustration with what she perceives as a slowing of public attention over time. “The world moves on,” she said quietly. “But for us, time stopped on May 2nd last year. Every day is May 2nd until they’re found.”

Who Are Lilly and Jack? The Faces Behind the Headlines

Those who knew the children describe Lilly as a bright, caring girl who loved drawing, animals, and helping her grandmother in the kitchen. Jack was the family’s “little explorer” — fearless, curious, and always with a mischievous grin.

Family photos shared during the interview show two happy, healthy children with their whole lives ahead of them. The contrast with their current unknown fate is devastating.

A Grandmother’s Final Message

As the interview drew to a close, Belynda Gray looked straight into the camera with exhausted but determined eyes.

“To whoever has my grandbabies, please let them go. Let them come home. They deserve their childhood. They deserve their family. And to everyone watching — please don’t forget Lilly and Jack. Keep their faces in your hearts. Keep looking. One year has passed, but our fight has not ended. It never will.”

The full CTV Atlantic interview has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times online, reigniting interest in the case and sparking fresh tips to police.

As Nova Scotia prepares to mark one painful year since Lilly Mae Sullivan and Jack Sullivan disappeared, the words of their grandmother echo across the province and beyond: two innocent children are still missing, and a family is still waiting.

The search continues. The hope endures. And Belynda Gray, like so many other grandparents in similar nightmares, refuses to give up on the grandchildren she loves with all her heart.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan, please contact the RCMP immediately.