By Hazel Trice Edney
(Trice Edney Wire) – Nora Shena Payne, singer and songwriter for some of America’s most famous Black music artists, has been found after disappearing Sept. 27 at the Chicago O’hare International Airport. Her mother, Evangelist Norschenia Payne Dobbs, and other loved ones expressed grave concern and sent prayerful appeals on Facebook and through MissingandBlack.com among other media. They were especially concerned because Nora was in need of medication.
“I can’t get through to her cell phone. It’s off. I can’t get any help,” Evangelist Dobbs, of Niagra Falls, N.Y., said in an interview amidst the search. “It’s gotten to the point that she has no clothing at all. I picked up her clothing from American Airlines yesterday. They shipped her clothing back to me.”
This week, Evangelist Dobbs is giving thanks after learning that her daughter, a youthful 44, had been in a Chicago hospital since around Oct. 2.
She flew to Chicago Oct. 19 after confirming the news. No further details are available in order to give the family the necessary privacy. “Praise God she is safe, unharmed and is in good hands,” Dobbs said in a Facebook Inbox to the Trice Edney News Wire. “She does not know about all of the efforts that we went through to find her.”
Nora Payne was especially close to mega star Michael Jackson, who died June 25, 2009. When he died, they had just agreed to work together on a major project, Mrs. Dobbs confirmed. Nora wrote songs and sang background for Jackson, among a string of other stars such as CeCe Winans and Mary Mary.
The website, MissingandBlack.com, was majorly instrumental in helping to find Nora as well as her family’s Facebook and personal friends, Niagara Falls and Chicago Police Departments.
“To God Be the Glory – The Payne and Dobbs Family are ecstatic to report that Nora Payne has been found safe,” she wrote on Facebook. “Thank you for the prayers as James 5:15 tells us, ‘The effective (effectual), fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much.’…Thank you for the warm hugs and words of encouragement. Words can never express the outpouring of love felt, and concern for Nora’s safety. The love was felt from far and near!”
