Usually I sit down to post with a smile on my face and ready to share about something fun or interesting or (hopefully) inspiring. Today I'm heartbroken. You may have known from watching the news the story of Brooke Bennett. She was the subject of Vermont's first ever Amber Alert. She disappeared on Wednesday 6/26 from Randolph, which is where we live. It's hard to even type these words. She was found murdered near her uncle's house last Wednesday, one week later. Our community is heartsick. We celebrated the 4th as a town, but there was a cloud over the day. Today you can feel the sadness in the air again.We are all praying for Brooke and her family. None of us can make sense of what happened. I didn't know Brooke, but it is clear that she was a sunny, spunky presence in town. It is so hard to see the sadness in the eyes of her friends. It is so wrong that they have to deal with this at all.
I have come to love my connections with all of you who read my blog. You are all so sweet and encouraging, kind and creative. I know that as you're reading this, you're sending your prayers to Brooke's family and friends. That's what I'm counting on. They need them. Thanks.
9 comments:
What a heartbreak. Every story of a murdered child saddens me deeply and puts a black mark on my heart forever. Your story made my tears start rolling. It has been an emotional day for me, but now you've done it. I wish you and all of yours a safe EVERYTHING and hope that Randolph gets no more news results like this ever again. My blessings and sadness are with her family. Hopefully, she is in a better place. What more can we hope for at this point for Brooke?
:(
They are all in my prayers.
Just horrible~ I have been watching the news & prayed she would be found alive. Certainly will be my prayers for the family, the whole town. Such a tradegy.
thanks so much for your love, girls.
this has been so hard on our town. it's the worst, saddest thing we've ever had to talk about with our kids.
Your support means so much to me. I was just reading your comments to my 2 boys. They felt your kindness just like me. xoxo Heather
How heartbreaking. Our prayers are with the family and community. These things always remind me to show love to my family so I never have to say "I wish."
Oh, that is absolutely heartbreaking.
Our thoughts are with you and your town and the family.
How horrible. I hadn't heard of this. Such a tragedy. My heart goes out to her family. Nothing is as heart wrenching as the loss of a child. I'm sorry her family, you and your community have to go through this sadness.
Thanks for having the strength to write about Brooke, Heather. It means a lot. I haven't been able to blog since it happened. I'm sort of stuck, I guess.
Her funeral today was the saddest funeral I have ever been to. But it was touching, too, to see the many, many people there. I had told Tessie when we first arrived, "I'll bet the tent was donated." Just a little later, they announced that it was.
Pastor Tom Harty spoke especially well. It was comforting when he invited us to join him in saying, "Never Again." Never, never again....
As I'm typing this note, I can't deny the worry and the anger I feel. But I'm also finding solace in the ever-comforting sounds of the brook near our house--a brook that has lulled me to sleep for over 20 years now. A brook that has always told me, "This is home." No matter what, this is home.
May Brooke be enveloped in all of our love and light ... and may we somehow still find serenity in these gentle green mountains and the soft sounds of a babbling brook at dusk....
Sue, your words are so moving! I cry each time I read them. Thank you for leaving your comment and for being such a good friend. It's times like these that I am so thankful to live in this wonderful town with such amazing friends. xoxo
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