How One Photograph Unraveled the Disappearance of an Entire Amish Family

are—a reminder from their community that they were never truly alone, even in their darkest moments of fear.

Esther Troyer, now eighty-four, visits the farm occasionally to maintain the quilts Ruth left in the hidden room. She keeps them clean, repairs them when they fray, ensures they survive as testimony.

“Ruth was my friend,” Esther says. “I should continue reading …