The Vacation That Turned Into a Nightmare: Yvonne DeVries Tells Her Story

Greta Wire

This episode is a deeply personal conversation with Yvonne DeVries about the 2004 disappearance of her 14-year-old son, Max, in Aruba, a case Greta says never received the attention it deserved. Yvonne recounts traveling to Aruba with her children as a healing trip after the death of her husband, only to have the vacation turn tragic when Max vanished during a jet ski outing with an older American man they had met at the hotel. She describes how quickly her suspicions formed, how the stories given about what happened on the water kept changing, and how Aruban authorities, in her view, failed to investigate obvious red flags from the start.


The conversation expands into a broader indictment of how the case was handled over the years. Yvonne explains why she believes there was more than mere incompetence involved, pointing to contradictory statements, a troubling background connected to the man who was with Max, and a pattern of official indifference that left her searching for answers largely on her own. Greta frames the case as one that still feels unfinished and suspicious, especially given what she has learned over two decades of reporting on Aruba and other disappearance cases. The result is not just a retelling of Max’s disappearance, but a portrait of a mother still living with unanswered questions and still refusing to let her son’s story disappear.


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More description

This episode is a deeply personal conversation with Yvonne DeVries about the 2004 disappearance of her 14-year-old son, Max, in Aruba, a case Greta says never received the attention it deserved. Yvonne recounts traveling to Aruba with her children as a healing trip after the death of her husband, only to have the vacation turn tragic when Max vanished during a jet ski outing with an older American man they had met at the hotel. She describes how quickly her suspicions formed, how the stories given about what happened on the water kept changing, and how Aruban authorities, in her view, failed to investigate obvious red flags from the start.


The conversation expands into a broader indictment of how the case was handled over the years. Yvonne explains why she believes there was more than mere incompetence involved, pointing to contradictory statements, a troubling background connected to the man who was with Max, and a pattern of official indifference that left her searching for answers largely on her own. Greta frames the case as one that still feels unfinished and suspicious, especially given what she has learned over two decades of reporting on Aruba and other disappearance cases. The result is not just a retelling of Max’s disappearance, but a portrait of a mother still living with unanswered questions and still refusing to let her son’s story disappear.


Got a comment or question? Send it to EmailGreta@newsmax.com and it may be used or answered on an upcoming episode.


You can watch the video version of the “Greta Wire” podcast on NEWSMAX social media channels, plus YouTube and Rumble, on the same afternoon the audio version launches.


Listen to Newsmax LIVE and subscribe to our entire podcast lineup at http://Newsmax.com/Listen


Don’t miss Greta every weekday on “The Record with Greta Van Susteren” at 4 PM ET, only on NEWSMAX TV.


Watch the show anytime, anywhere with NEWSMAX+. Get your 15-day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at http://NewsmaxPlus.com


Follow Greta on Social Media:


Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/greta/


X/Twitter: https://x.com/greta


Instagram: https://Instagram.com/greta


TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greta.com


Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media:


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YouTube: https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV


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TRUTH Social: https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX


GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/newsmax


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Telegram: http://t.me/newsmax


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2026-05-14 70 min
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