Fort Pierce Rally Stop

It was definitely a bright sunny warm Florida day, being a native... this is what you miss most about Florida. On time we arrive to a beautiful scenery of sculptures, waterway and several families present to represent their missing loved ones. I think it is sad as most faces are familiar to me. My emotions are in a place today I really do not like them to be; normally when I am feeling down and sorrow for our families, I get off by myself somewhere and folks never are the wiser. I am really good about that, not showing that side of me. But today I know I will see Donajean, Tony and so many more of the cases I am searching for and working on, the what I call LIFERS''. See the families I refer to as LIFERS...is because these people have not committed any crime, but they have been handed a life sentence of suffering a missing loved one. I have been working on a project called the LIFERS behind the scene for a few years now, putting together all of these cold cases to feature in a large way, the project has it's name and is not short of a list...I start thinking of things to add again to my project. I cannot shake this sadness today, normally I get angry at all the injustice of the missing that takes place, that's my true motivation, that'' helps me to avoid the sadness, but today is different. The program is about to start, I have greeted everyone there, the organizers, the wife of a once missing man Nick Halliday who was found deceased asked me to speak, I declined; for the first time in the tour I had declined...hummm. I did not want to take the chance I
would breakdown in front of folks, so I sat this one out, no one noticed. It was a very nice program, all the families spoke, Tony asked of me to walk up with him and I did...he was emotionally that always bothers me with him, we have become close like brother and sister and have shared a lot in private...he breaks my heart, he wants and needs to find his brother. We
toss flowers into the ocean, it becomes a snap shot of silence, tears flow as you can almost hear all of the silent cries of these families, for me I know all the names being screamed out. As we say our goodbyes, we are going to be late if we do not leave for the next stop; I feel rushed, I needed more time, I needed to hug Donajean one more time, but we do leave. Traveling over that waterways leaving the area a great feeling of emptiness lingers with me
for hours, I send up my own little prayer, God help theses families to endure their pain, please afford them a resolution, help me to be better to help those who suffer such a great loss, but most of all bring them comfort now and forever, amen. I close my eyes for awhile to escape the reality of it all, not allowing myself to continue to think to much more.
Monica