Missing retired FBI agent's children honored

Former agent missing for nearly 5 years

TAMARAC, Fla.On Thursday, the Society of Former Special Agents honors the children of retired FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared near Iran nearly five years ago.

Levinson was in the area in the capacity of a private investigator. It's unclear what he was investigating, who took him and what it will take to get him back home safely.

Levinson was an FBI agent from 1976 to 1998. 

The Society of Former Special Agents offered the two youngest of Levinson's seven children $5,000 to be applied to college costs.

This week, the FBI announced it is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to his recovery. On Tuesday, family members spoke out about the agency's offer and their emotional struggle every day.

"There are no words to describe the nightmare my family and I have been living every day. I never imagined that we would still be waiting for Bob to come home five years later," said Levinson's wife, Christine Levinson.

The FBI released three pictures showing how Levinson may appear now. Pictures will be posted on billboards across Southeast Asia, where they believe he is being held, in the hope of developing leads in the search for Levinson.

The FBI is also launching a campaign that includes fliers, radio messages and a local tip line.

Family members said they are hoping his captors will contact them and let them know what they want so they can figure out what it will take to get him home.

Levinson will turn 64 this Saturday, a day marking the five-year anniversary of his disappearance.

In a statement, Christine Levinson wrote, "Life is passing, yet, wherever Bob is, we know he has no life. For us, his family, all we focus on is getting through each day and doing everything we can to find him. Not knowing where he is, whether he is ok and how to get him home is complete agony. Here in this country, most of us would be filled with concern if someone we love were to drop out of sight for just 24 hours. For us, as of tomorrow, it has been 1,827 days -- or 43,848 hours. And we have been counting every one of them."

In December, the family released a video the captors sent their way showing Levinson to be alive.

In return, they have launched a plea aimed directly at his captors, "to tell us what we need to do to get Bob home." Click here to watch the video.

If you have information about the Levinson case, contact your nearest FBI office or American Embassy, or submit a tip to https://tips.fbi.gov/.