It was 8 p.m. and I was heading home from my son’s school. The sun had dipped its head beneath the retreating storm clouds, leaving faded orange streaks in my rearview mirror. It was a familiar path; one I’ve driven mindlessly more than 1,000 times over the past 16 years. I came to a traffic light at the intersection of Rice Road and Madison Avenue. As I stopped, I looked at the very familiar trees. But at that moment, everything was different. The woods seemed darker. More foreboding. And the world was tainted with sadness.
A body had been found in those same woods earlier in the afternoon.
Now the police and the TV trucks were gone. All remained was the darkness. And the pain of a family fearing the worst but desperately hoping for the best.
Sources told The Clarion-Ledger last night that a police investigator found the body and that they believed it was the missing young Madison resident Abigail Grace Bonner. The local and online community had rallied to try to find her. The coroner is supposed to confirm the identity today. I hope the sources are wrong. I pray they are wrong.
I don’t know Abigail’s parents. But as a parent myself, I can only imagine the hell they’re going through. I stopped my car at the traffic light and said a silent prayer for them. It was a parent’s prayer — a creed that all parent’s share as we silently wish for our childrens’ safety.
I know this community will step up and lift Abigail’s parents up during their time of need. We do that in Mississippi. But the world has changed a little this morning. Gray rain is pouring down outside. And the woods I’ve passed by 1,000 times will forever seem a little darker.
Update: Madison County Coroner Alex Breeland has confirmed that Abigail has been found. My prayers are with the family.
Like you I am a parent and can’t begin to imagine what they are going though. I would go crazy with worry if it was my child even though they are grown. How any parent survives the death of a child I don’t know and do not want to find out. I think I will tell mine a few more times each day that I love them.
As a parent, and grandparent, I cannot imagine the agony of the Abigail’s family. As we rallied online to find her, we now pray that the rumors of her running away to the north are true instead of this. Then, we pray for the girl found. Her’s is a story to tell, somewhere, something happened, and we don’t want to know, but we have to. To protect ours, yours, and everyone’s child. Abigail your soul soars, and your heart is loved. And I ask God, from this lesson He has taught us, to help us keep our family closer, our children even closer, and to bring our neighbors into our arms, and let them know that we love them, in Abigail’s honor.
Wonderful.
My heart hurts for the family,friends,community.
When ” raising” my children and then see my children raise
their children, I found that I watched the world in a different way.
There is still a electric candle in the window. Just of the days of old. A light in the window.
The outside light when my kids were teens stayed on until all were home safely.
Prayers,,,,for all.
Thank you for putting into words the sadness we feel for a girl and family we do not know.
So sad.