herskin's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Her Kelsey, Her Kara The same story told a hundred different ways, each news outlet looking for the angle that would personalize it for their locality. From Australia and London to newspapers in our backyard, Kansas Citians have been willingly bombarded with stories surrounding the abduction and apparent murder of recent high school graduate Kelsey Smith. A beautiful, feisty girl from an upper middle class suburb in a relatively safe county, surveillance video first captured the metropolitan area Saturday night. As new still photos were released and hundreds of volunteers aided in the search for her, prayers were said all over the city. It was the first topic of conversation in the office on Monday morning, a cause for conversation between parents and children and just something that had to break your heart. And by the time her body was sadly discovered on Wednesday afternoon, I think so many people felt the loss along with her parents, siblings, family and friends. Just six miles from where Kelsey’s body was found, another family was dealing with their own possible lost. Kara Kopetsky as been missing for over a month, garnering far less media attention due to the lack of leads, photos or video tape. When it was first announced that a body had been found in shallow lake waters, thoughts of their daughter had to enter their minds. What has been referred to as “tarnished relief” came when they found out that it wasn’t Kara. One little girl was now gone and another remained missing. The only possible good thing that could ever come out of Kelsey’s loss is that it has once again shone a spotlight on Kara’s disappearance. A single lead a few weeks only hasn’t generated much attention, so maybe this will. Connections were drawn between the two girls immediately. Both young – Kara is 17, Kelsey was 18 – and of similar stature, they look like any other brunette high school students in America. While the police here say that no definite connection has been found, others can’t help but note the physical similarities between a composite released of a man supposedly seen with Kara on May 17 in a nearby town and the man charged with Kelsey’s kidnapping and murder this week. If Kara is indeed gone – and I pray to God that she isn’t – I almost want it to be the same man. Otherwise, it’s incredibly scary to think that there are two men out there who would do such horrible things in our fair and beloved city. For Kelsey, her journey is definitively over. I don’t know the details of her loss, and frankly, we don’t need to know. Instead, I pray that we can focus on the beautiful girl that she was, the one that so many people seemed to love. I hope that her family and friends will be able to turn to God and each other to find the comfort and grace that they need. And I hope that whoever did this, whether it was the man arrested or someone else, gets whatever they deserve. Justice needs to be done. May God have mercy on his soul. And for Kara, we pray that your journey is still continuing. We need to know the details of your disappearance if only to help find you. Our thoughts are with you, your family, your friends and everyone else clinging to hope that you are safe and alive. Heaven forbid, if you are not, I guess the only solace is that you are somewhere far better than here, a place where no one could ever repeat such unspeakable actions. God Bless Kara and Kelsey, their families, their friends and the people of our Kansas City. We’re with you all the way. So, I'm walkin' down the street, feelin' lonely and sad...Every time I think of you, the tears appear. I got a broken heart baby 'cause I need you near. ("Missin' You" - The Tony Rich Project) 8:58 AM - 06.08.07 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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