'We just want her back,' says family of missing woman in Thunder Bay, Ont.

There's a candlelight vigil walk Thursday evening for Deborah Anishinabie, a week after her disappearance in Thunder Bay, Ont.

Anishinabie, 42, was last seen leaving New Newfie's Pub on Simpson Street on Dec. 5 around 2 a.m. ET. She was wearing a black jacket, a blue-and-grey camouflage sweater, black jeans and black running shoes.

She is described as an Indigenous woman who's 5-foot-1 and weighs about 180 pounds, with long black hair and brown eyes. She also has a star tattoo on her left shoulder and several smaller tattoos on both arms.

Her cousin, Stacey Fiddler, said Anishinabie typically contacts her family every day.

"This disappearance is not like her," Fiddler said. "We just want her back."

Anishinabie is a member of Sandy Lake First Nation but has lived in Thunder Bay for many years, said Fiddler.

She has a daughter, works in the health-care industry, and recently graduated from a program at the Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute, with plans to pursue further education in the new year.

"She got a babysitter. She was just going out for a night out with her friend and she had no intentions of disappearing," Fiddler said.

The family has been conducting searches on the south side for the past few days. They've been putting up posters, handing out hundreds of flyers and knocking on doors throughout the neighbourhood.

Through this, they've received a swell of support from neighbours and people on social media, from northwestern Ontario and beyond.

"I'm just so thankful for everybody's help," said Fiddler. "It really helps knowing that there's so many people out there that want to help."

The Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) has been actively investigating Anishinabie's disappearance. While the police have reported her first name as Debra and her age as 41, the family has confirmed the spelling as Deborah and say she is 42.

'She's friendly and kind'

Fiddler said she and her cousin have always been close.

"She's bubbly, she's got a loud laugh — everyone knows her. She's friendly and kind."

She enjoys fishing, hiking, going thrift shopping, eating at restaurants and spending time at the mall. The two also enjoy playing board games and cards together.

The candlelight vigil walk starts at 6 p.m., beginning at 126 Simpson St., where Anishinabie was last seen.

"Since the missing person report was received, officers have been working to gather as much information as possible and follow leads. Investigators have spoken to potential witnesses, spoken to people known to the missing individual, patrolled areas known to be familiar to the missing individual, and canvassed for surveillance footage," said Matt Vis, media relations co-ordinator with the TBPS, in an email to CBC News on Monday.

In a followup email on Wednesday, Vis said there are no further updates on the case at this point.

Anyone with information about Anishinabie's whereabouts is asked to contact police at 807-684-1200 or submit tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or p3tips.com.

The family has also asked people to review their security camera footage from Dec. 5 between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m.

"Please help us find Deborah," Fiddler said. "We love Deborah."