With still no official word on the fate of Rhondell Tankard, an AON employee missing since Tuesday's terror attack on the World Trade Center, the family is keeping a positive outlook and appealing to the media and members of the general public not to indulge in negative speculation.

And they are calling for a support group for all families in Bermuda that have been affected by the tragedy.

Three days after two hijacked planes crashed into the two towers of the World Trade Center, a strong religious base and family support is keeping hope alive.

"We're keeping the faith," said her mother Cheryl Burrows. "She's coming back - she just can't get to the phone."

The Royal Gazette spent the day yesterday at Ms Burrows' Somerset home. A steady stream of visitors filed in and out and the phone rang incessantly. Most of the callers are well wishers of like mind and similar spiritual outlook. With conflicting reports, rumours and speculation in rapid circulation around the Island, however, some call to say they have heard the worst. Some have announced such "negative speculation" in public to younger members.

"Until we get information that she has gone to another place, we don't know... And she is a Christian."

Voicing the worst case scenario, say family members, does nothing to help. The family is strenuously trying to shield the youngest and oldest members from such comments. "We're keeping the faith until we have concrete evidence," said Rhondell's aunt Norma Tankard. "We're just asking those with negative remarks to allow us to keep the faith - keep those comments to themselves. We appreciate the concerns but until we are certain that she has perished the faith that we have - we want to keep it... I was told a girl on the 90th floor made it, so you never know... It's playing on these children's minds. There are other Bermudians and we need to unite."

Aware that other local families might be having a similar experience, they are extremely uncomfortable at being a focus of media attention. "We are worried about the publicity and we've got to protect the children."

While the media has been feverishly trying to track events as they unfold and inform the public of the tragedy's local impact, there has been some confusion over Ms Tankard's story.

VSB reported around 1 p.m. yesterday that her name was on a list of survivors on a Web site. Moments later the station reported that they had received a call from a "very distressed" AON executive who said the information on the site might not in fact be reliable. Around six family members were present during the 15 minute emotional roller-coaster caused by that report.

Ms Burrows had just ended a phone call in which she had encouraged a friend to "keep the faith" and avoid listening to negative speculation. "I am going to get my child," she was saying moments later. Then : "Call VSB and find out if it's true. I want to be sure." When it emerged that the list might well be unreliable, Ms Burrows remarked, "these people are just tormenting me". As of last night no official confirmation had arrived.

Ms Burrows called for a support group "so we could all get together and share our feelings and help one another to get on". The family says they have had tremendous support from AON Re.

"They have been wonderful. From day one they have been really beautiful - they have to deal with it too and have to keep their spirits up too," said Ms Burrows.

"You don't have to be a friend or whatever, just get together and pray," she said when asked what kind of support locals can offer to her family and others that might be in the same plight.

Ms Tankard started work at AON's New York offices at the World Trade Center on Monday.