May 18

Walking door-to-door handing out “missing person” flyers in the pouring rain was not how I expected to spend my Wednesday evening [May 17]. Ever since the 17-year-old Aaliyah [Kazimer] went missing last weekend, I had been following her story. Something this big, happening so close to home, really struck a chord with me.

I had never met Aaliyah; all I knew is that she was clearly a very gorgeous girl that had so much more of life to live. Yesterday I came across an article saying they needed more people to help with their search efforts. I didn’t think twice when I rounded up two of my cousins to go see how we could help.

When we got there tonight we were given a pile of fliers and told to go from house to house and ask if they had possibly seen this girl or knew anything that could help us find her. The people that answered their doors surprised me with their sympathy and their promise that if they see or hear anything they would call 911 immediately. It definitely showed me that there still is compassion in this world even though we maybe don’t see it as often as we should. After a couple hours in the rain we made it back to our car and headed back to the search headquarters.

When we walked into the shelter there was a different type of energy than when we had left. I immediately got a phone call from my dad that they had found her! Everyone in the shelter was so happy!! There was supposed to be a prayer service at 7pm and instead, it turned into a celebration that she had been found-ALIVE! We were talking to two girls from Aaliyah’s high school and they were saying how sad everyone was that she would potentially never see the day she got to graduate, but now there was a chance she would be able to graduate, this Friday.

Ever since I got home this evening Aaliyah has been on my mind. Just how rare this type of ending is. How lucky she is to be alive. And just how great of a guardian angel she has!! This opportunity has made me realize just how much I take my own life for granted. Every day is a gift, and we should not let a single day go by without telling our loved ones just how much we love them, and God how grateful we are for the day we have. I think it is also so important that we all continue to pray for Aaliyah as she processes and heals from most likely the scariest and most life-changing week she will ever encounter.

Our Lady of Good Remedy, pray for us.

–Tricia

Tricia and Nikki Walz are proud Minnesotans who were born and raised in the heart of St. Cloud with their younger sister Briana. Read more about them on the “Meet Our Bloggers” page.

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