ROTHBURY, Mich. (WXYZ) — This upcoming week will mark five years since the disappearance of Oakland County man Kevin Graves, who was last seen at the Electric Forest music festival in 2018.
His mom Kathy Graves told us, "I don’t think I met anybody who didn’t like Kevin, he was big-hearted."
Kathy and Kevin's dad Gary Graves told us the then-28-year-old was kind to everyone.
He called his mom every night until the day he went missing on July 1, 2018.
"It’s just been very hard. It’s like there’s a big hole in my heart," Kathy Graves said.
According to his parents, Kevin Graves was living in Oakland County and traveled with his then-girlfriend to Rothbury on the west side of Michigan to go to the popular music festival, often compared to Woodstock.
Gary Graves said that Kevin called and told them he was having a great time.
"The next thing we know, we get a phone call from his girlfriend on the first of July. She says that he went missing," Gary Graves said.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, witnesses say Kevin Graves got into a fight with his girlfriend, left a group of people then disappeared.
There's been no cellphone use or bank activity since. K-9s and flyover teams have searched the forest where the festival takes place. Dive teams have searched the nearby lakes.
The forest where the festival is held is massive at 2,200 acres. To put that in perspective, that's about 1,666 football fields.
Kathy and Gary Graves say they believe their son's body is still in the forest, even though Michigan State Police say that's not possible due to how thoroughly the forest has been searched.
"We’ll never stop hoping," Gary Graves said.
The Graveses said they plan to go out to Electric Forest this year but have been asked not to pass out flyers on the festival property.
Still, there will be a massive billboard right outside the event and flyers at all area stores. There's also a Facebook page for Kevin Graves.
The hope is that if anyone knows or sees anything, they'll reach out to the Oakland County Sheriff's Department at 248-858-4950.
"I’m not saying he was perfect, but he was still my son and I’d just love to know what happened to him," Gary Graves said.
Kathy Graves shared, "My last words to him were, 'Have a good time and please be careful.’"
