Daughter of Missing Ohio Woman Holds Out Hope Amid Ongoing Search in Alabama
David Rose became concerned when he couldn’t reach his daughter, Dana, while she was at work. After multiple attempts to call her, he texted a chilling message: “Mom is missing. Call me back.”
Dana was puzzled; it was unlike her mother, Vendula Rose, to leave without informing anyone of her whereabouts. On September 20, Vendula, affectionately known as Wendy, had traveled from their home in Marysville, Ohio, to Alabama for a hiking trip. Having previously lived in the Birmingham area, she loved exploring the woods and often ventured to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee for day trips. According to police, Wendy was last reported at Cheaha State Park on September 24.
By October 5, five days after Dana received her father’s text, Wendy’s car was found abandoned at the Pinhoti Trail Head of the park. This discovery left Dana and her family with countless questions as her father collaborated with police and volunteers in Alabama, scouring the miles of forest in search of Wendy.
“We’re exhausted and sick with worry,” Dana expressed.
While many may know Wendy solely as a missing hiker, her story encompasses much more. Born in Kolin, a small town in the Czech Republic, she moved to the United States in 2001 after meeting David Rose during Thanksgiving while he was in Prague. She was just 18 years old.
“He got lost and asked her for directions, then asked if she wanted to go dance with him,” Dana recounted. “From there, they fell in love.”
The couple settled in Ohio, where Dana was born. Wendy’s diverse interests kept her from being defined by a single career; she trained dogs, worked as a mechanic, test-drove cars at a local Honda plant, wrote poetry, rode horses, and even worked security at Walmart.
“You can’t put her in a box,” Dana said.
Yet, it was in nature where Wendy truly thrived. Her spirits lifted when she was with her horses, and she often expressed a desire to live in a cabin, waking up to the sunrise over the hills.
Wendy even became a pilot, earning her license in 2016 to inspire Dana, who had recently developed an interest in flying. Today, Dana is a flight instructor at Bowling Green State University. “She showed me that just because you have a dream and you don’t have the tools, it’s possible to get there,” Dana said.
More than her varied interests, Dana highlights her mother’s compassionate heart. From feeding a homeless man while hiking in Zaleski State Forest to expressing pride in Dana during their last conversation in September, Wendy’s selflessness shone through. “My mother is a very compassionate, selfless, loving person,” Dana remarked. “She would drop everything to help you.”
As Wendy’s family grapples with unanswered questions, they also face online conspiracy theories and harassment from strangers. “The amount of people that make up things for clout is very disrespectful,” Dana stated.
Despite her mother’s experience as a hiker, Dana finds it hard to believe Wendy could have simply gotten lost. “Once you learn to read a map, it’s not difficult to know where you are,” she said.
Still, Dana clings to hope. “We’re really hoping she just walks out of those woods, wondering what the big deal is,” she said.
Anyone with information on Wendy Rose’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact Investigator Sims at the Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office at 256-463-2277 ext. 110. To remain anonymous, call 256-463-2277 and select “Option 4.”
