Families of 2 Missing Men Search and Pray : Disappearance: The two mentally retarded men haven’t been seen since Sunday. Police do not suspect--but have not ruled out--foul play.

Since Sunday, the families of two mentally retarded El Toro men who boarded a bus bound for Mission Viejo and then disappeared have searched frantically for them, praying that they have come to no harm.

“I can’t go to sleep. I can’t eat. It’s just like they disappeared into thin air,” said Penny Nichols, 42, the sister of Rory Nichols. He and Richard Neve set out early Sunday for an outing and never returned. “The scary thing is, I know Rory has probably had a number of seizures by now, and he’s probably so disoriented he doesn’t know where he is.”

Nichols, 35, suffers from epilepsy and did not take along his medicine.

Since Sunday, family members have been distributing flyers with pictures of Nichols and Neve, 22. They have searched shopping malls and beaches where the two were fond of going.

Authorities said they have no reason to suspect foul play but have not ruled out the possibility.

“We’re obviously growing more and more concerned because of the time period that’s gone by,” Orange County Sheriffs Lt. Bob Rivas said.

Unconfirmed tips have placed the men at Laguna Hills Mall, Dana Point Harbor, South Coast Plaza, Fashion Island and at a florist shop in Mission Viejo, relatives said.

When Nichols was handing out flyers at Laguna Hills Mall, a bus driver told her he had seen her brother Monday wandering around in a daze.

“He said Rory had asked him (the bus driver) to take him to the Laguna Hills Mall,” Nichols said. “The driver said he told him he was already at Laguna Hills Mall and when he left, Rory was walking around the bus station in circles.”

Meanwhile, family members could only wait for news of the men, who had about $30 between them when they left home.

Neve, who lived with his parents, had just returned from a trip to Las Vegas the week before he disappeared and had no more than $10 left, family members said.

“He was supposed to show up for dinner at 5 p.m., and he never did,” said his sister, Dawn Neve, 21. “He has a tendency to come home a couple of hours late sometimes, but he’s never run away.”

Less than a mile away, Penny Nichols took a break from searching for her brother at shopping centers Thursday to wash his clothes.

Nichols shares a home with five other mentally retarded men under an independent living program for people who are borderline mentally disabled. Until recently, he had a job assembling window blinds and was scheduled to leave the group home soon to move into an apartment, his sister said.

Nichols was planning Thursday to buy her brother a new dresser and a mattress pad after discovering three bottom sheets on his bed.

She moved slowly through her brother’s bedroom, pointing out his favorite posters and a picture of Rory with his ex-girlfriend.

“It’s so sad. I just hope he’s all right,” Nichols said. “The scary thing is, I just can’t imagine what could possibly be going on that would be more compelling than him calling home.”