Whitney

Sometimes there are things that happen where words cannot even begin to express the situation or emotion at all. Over the last 4 days, this type of situation has been happening 30 minutes from my home. Whitney Heichel was a 21-year old-girl who disappeared a few days ago in Gresham. It was a normal day, she was on her way to work at Starbucks. It quickly turned into the most abnormal day her or her family will ever have. A 24-year-old man who lived in her apartment complex waited until she went to work and kidnapped her.

It just blows my mind every time I think about it. As the Gresham mayor put it, "Whitney represented our mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, friends, and loved ones." This could have been anyone... Me, my sisters, my mother, my cousin, my friends... Anyone.

My heart breaks for her... So young, so innocent. And even more, my heart breaks for her family... Her husband. The thought of losing my spouse or my family this way, or at all, is gut-wrenching. Though I did not know her and will most likely never meet her family, I will never forget her.

It was a reminder that life is short.
It was a reminder that anything can happen.
It was a reminder that this world is evil.
It was a reminder that there is no time to be mad or to fight, but only to love.

R.I.P. Whitney Heichel