Metallica Donates $50K To Help Find Missing Fan

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Virginia Tech student Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, of Roanoke County, Va.
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James Hetfield of Metallica rocks out during the band’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction
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Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich of Metallica attend the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2009 inductee announcement at Fuse Studios on January 14, 2009 in New York City
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Veteran rockers Metallica turn things up a notch at Wembley
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Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Robert Trujillo of Metallica arrive at the 7th Annual ‘Los Premios MTV Latin America 2008’ Awards held at the Auditorio Telmex on October 16, 2008 in Guadalajara, Mexico

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FIRST PUBLISHED: October 27, 2009 10:50 AM EDT
LAST UPDATED: October 27, 2009 11:33 AM EDT

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. --

The parents of a Virginia Tech student who disappeared outside a Metallica concert said Tuesday they fear she is the victim of foul play.

Morgan Dana Harrington’s parents said on NBC’s “Today” show they are devoting all of their energy to finding their daughter, who was last seen Oct. 17 outside a University of Virginia arena.

“This is probably a parent’s worst nightmare,” Dan Harrington said. “Clearly no one ever expects to be in this situation and we have to hold out hope that we’re going to see our daughter again.”

Harrington, 20, of Roanoke, was attending the concert 10 days ago when she left the arena and was not permitted to return. Her purse and cell phone were found. There was no sign of any type of struggle in the area, state police investigators have said.

Dan Harrington speculated his daughter might have accepted a ride home with someone.

“You know kids at this age think everybody’s their friend,” said Gil Harrington, Morgan’s mother.

Asked if they feared foul play, Gil Harrington responded, “Very worried, very worried. Nothing else makes sense.”

Still, she said, they don’t want to “fall into survivor’s guilt.”

“We need to be moving forward and direct all our energies at this point in finding Morgan while people’s memories are still fresh,” Gil Harrington said.

Police hope a $150,000 reward — including $50,000 chipped in by Metallica — will help generate new leads.

For more information, visit FindMorgan.com.

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