Several days ago I borrowed this space for a request to assist in finding a missing teen. So very many of you responded immediately to my personal e-mail and I even received phone calls.
What a wonderful feeling to know that there are so many of us that already have our plates full with personal situations will still take time out to assist.
Sadly our missing teen was found earlier this week. I have attempted to respond to everyone personally that contacted me and if I missed anyone, please forgive me. Our prayers were answered and we did find Samantha. She had a horrible accident and died instantly apparently the day she went missing, Sun., Sept.30 or early on Oct. 1. She was enroute to her home and for a reason that we don't know, her car left the highway on a straight stretch and knocked down a mailbox, continued on and hit a tree and then went down a 35'+ ravine. She did not have her seatbelt on and was thrown 20'+ from her car. The autopsy indicated that she died instantly from head, neck, and back injuries.
The accident was not visible from the highway. There were no marks on the guardrail. Her car went behind the guardrail. A passenger in a big tractor trailer happened to see something reflecting as they passed by, they turned around went back and discovered her car. They flagged a State Policeman and then the horrible discovery of Sam's tragic accident was confirmed.
Her parents never felt that she had run away. They feared a kidnapping, foul play, etc. The search has ended and not the outcome that anyone wanted.
At her funeral on Fri., her minister mentioned that he had googled her name, Samantha Bittler, and discovered just how much an impact she had made on so many in her short life. Those of us that had the privilege of personally knowing her knew that her Dad was her best friend in life. She had written in her 'myspace' that he was her best friend and that no matter what she did, he was there for her always. He is distraught over the loss of his only daughter.
Thank you for your kindness in responding to my request to assist. Many of you wrote that you were carrying her picture, her license plate info. with you and you were taking notice of every car. Many of you wrote that you were praying for her safe return. I am still receiving e-mails from many of you. Thank you for your kindness.
We don't have a happy ending, and for that I am very sad, but as her aunt said to me, we brought her home.
If anything good can come of this, maybe it will be that more will realize that seat belts don't always save, but the probability of surviving a crash is stronger with seat belts on.
One Realtor e-mailed me that when she received my note that Sam had died, she called all three of her children and told them that she loved them. Yesterday at Sam's funeral there were so many teenagers weeping openly and being held closely be a parent. My hurt is for all of us, for Sam, her Dad, her family, her close friends. If Sam as a teen didn't mind saying how much she loved her Dad on her 'myspace', then let's follow her example and tell those we hold dear how much we love them.....and tell them often.
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