All his family wanted was their son and little brother home to celebrate.

Donny, then 16, disappeared on August 31, 2012, from an Echuca campsite where he had been camping with his sister Rachael O’Keane and four Ballarat friends.

After a few drinks, Donny became paranoid about his fellow campers, claiming they were out to get him, and ran off into thick bush.

Despite a massive manhunt, there has only been one credible sighting of the Linton youth since, when an elderly woman living 10 kilometres from the campsite said a well-mannered boy matching Donny’s description appeared from the bush and asked her for breakfast a few days after he disappeared.

She told police the boy said he had spent the night in the bush and was planning to go to Bendigo.

Yesterday, Ms O’Keane again appealed for any information about her brother’s disappearance as the family grieved another lost birthday.

“There has been absolutely nothing,” she said.

“We haven’t received any solid information as to his whereabouts at all. It’s been dead-end after dead-end.”

Ms O’Keane said the family was heartbroken by his disappearance, especially on his 18th birthday.

“I had to leave work (yesterday). It was just too hard,” she said.

“We can’t celebrate. There’s no point in celebrating if Donny’s not here. We can’t celebrate without him.

“We just want Donny home. We want to hug him and tell him we love him.

“It’s taken a massive toll on everyone. It just feels so unreal.”

Anyone with information on Donny’s disappearance can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

fiona.henderson@fairfaxmedia.com.au