What happened to Skye Budnick? Student, 21, went missing 16 years ago - after buying a one-way ticket to Japan

The family of a 21-year-old who vanished after buying a one-way ticket to Japan - and leaving without telling anyone - have made a plea to social media as they admit they're still looking for answers after 16 years.

Skye Budnick, from Connecticut, alarmed loved ones when she went missing in April 2008 - having taken little to nothing with her as she left.

Despite nearly two decades of disappearance, her mother Susan and sister Megan have 'been met with bureaucratic roadblocks leaving them with more questions than answers', as described in a GoFundMe page to help the family seek answers.

'We refuse to give up hope and remain determined to uncover the truth behind her disappearance,' Megan penned.

Since taking to social media - with TikTok, Instagram and even a podcast, titled Surviving Skye - Skye's family has managed to raise the profile of her mysterious case despite it not being largely covered in the media.

Skye Budnick, from Connecticut (pictured in her missing person's poster), alarmed loved ones when she went missing in April 2008 - having taken little to nothing with her as she left

Videos from Megan, sharing updates on the latest progress, now rack up millions of views - as online sleuths demand answers and posit their own theories. And thanks to money raised online, she and her mother were also this week able to travel to Japan and submit additional DNA samples.

Last week, ahead of their trip, Megan took to the fundraising page - which was set up to help cover the trip - to update followers and open up about how the ordeal has been for her family.

'We are still very much in the dark as to what may be in store for us,' she admitted. 'We are as prepared as one could be in this type of situation but the truth is we are scared, anxious, overwhelmed, exhausted, and above all ready for anything.

'I never imagined ever getting to this point when I started talking about Skye’s disappearance on TikTok. It was during Covid and it felt like we were all collectively in the dark as the world was changing right before our eyes

'When I opened up about the struggles of having a missing family member and the toll it took on my life, I found people who took the time to understand and who cared. I lived too many years feeling so alone.

'But now we are here, together, for Skye, as we move forward towards another unknown, but it’s an unknown that may give us answers.'

Speaking to WAFB9 earlier this year, her mother revealed that Skye 'did not let anyone know, even her very best friends' that she was leaving.

'She took very little with her, very little, and she left,' Susan added. 'And she took her car, she left it at the airport.'

Since taking to social media - with TikTok , Instagram and even a podcast, titled Surviving Skye - Skye's family has managed to raise the profile of her mysterious case. Pictured, her sister Megan

Thanks to money raised online, she and her mother were also this week able to travel to Japan and submit additional DNA samples (pictured)

Susan - who branded Skye as 'shy' and 'very quiet', also expressed that she believes her daughter, who was studying Japanese at college, met someone online.

The mother also told the outlet that she and Meghan went to Japan themselves, where they filed police reports and handed out posters - but admitted that they faced many hurdles, including the language barrier.

On her podcast, Megan opened up about the first ten days following Skye's disappearance - recounting that despite the first 48 hours of a missing person's case being famously seen as 'crucial', no one had realized she was gone for days after her flight to Japan.

Admitting that her memories from the time period are clouded by trauma, it is understood that her mother thought Skye - who was 21 at the time - was staying over at a friend's house on March 31, 2008.

Meanwhile, on April 1, Megan - who was 24 at the time but living at home - worked at a blood drive, but began to feel lightheaded and ill during a shift.

While dealing with Megan's ordeal, which saw her go to hospital and ailing medical issues, the family got swept up in worry for her and 'lost track of time'. By April 4, it had become apparent that no one had heard from Skye for days.

In 2008, Meghan and Susan (pictured) went to Japan themselves, where they filed police reports and handed out posters - but admitted that they faced many hurdles, including the language barrier

Megan explained that her sister - who was 'alienated in middle school and high school' thanks to her interest in Japanese culture - finally 'found people she could relate to in college', which was a relief for Skye's loved ones.

However, Megan also felt that Skye was 'still kind of an outsider' to her very 'new' friends in college. 

She said this is part of the reason they wanted to leave Skye alone - to create connections and find friends - and not pester her with phone calls.

But it quickly became apparent that, as Susan rang her daughter's friends, Skye had told different people varying stories about who she was allegedly staying over this.

To complicate matters, Skye didn't have her own cellphone. 

That same day, in an attempt to look for clues, Skye's brother looked on his computer, where Skye sometimes checked her emails - and was able to access her inbox. There, the family was shocked to discover a flight itinerary for April 1 - which at that point, was three days ago - showing that she had made plans to go to Japan. 

They made their way to the airport, where they discovered Skye's car, which only contained a few of her belongings. 

Megan has said that the family has faced roadblocks in investigation since, and are no closer to finding answers regarding her sister.

Since starting up campaigns on social media however, she has felt encouraged to see more interest in the case.

In a recent podcast episode - which aired on the day Skye turned 37 - Megan said, in a message dedicated to her sister: 'Today in 2024, you're 37 and yesterday I got some news.

'That's the most actionable thing that we're able to do in a very, very, very long time.

'The Southington Police, with the help of Interpol, was in communication with the Japanese government and we were informed that in order to submit new DNA we have to go to Japan.

'My mom and I have to physically go to Japan and I got this news right before your birthday. If that isn't a sign, I don't know what is.

Susan - who branded Skye (pictured in an old photo) as 'shy' and 'very quiet', also expressed that she believes her daughter, who was studying Japanese at college, met someone online

'So for your 37th birthday sometime in 2024, when I can iron out all the logistics, I think we're going to be able to do like one of the last most actionable things that we can do in your disappearance.

'And we can check the databases in Japan, check any Jane Does, check any other cold case files that they have access to, and maybe get some answers.

'It's the weirdest birthday gift ever. I don't think anybody ever wished for that. But this is good news. This is really good news.'

In a recent TikTok, Megan - who has more than 179,500 followers and 3.2 million likes on the app - shared in a video: 'It feels good to have gotten this far, to submit the DNA... to know that it happened....

'It was nice to experience the humanity and empathy from others that it felt like I wasn't getting from the beginning because I was getting blinded by the stress and the trauma. 

'This has been the most insane journey of my life...'