The Mountain Brook, AL Teens

What has to be one of the most difficult things that the high school teens from Mountain Brook, AL have faced in their young lives; they stick together with their hopes and prayer for Natalee Holloway’s safe return. We have had some on our site commenting and answering questions, while others have emailed us with poignant stories about Natalee and questions. Keep the faith.

Special thanks to one of our commenter’s, the goon squad, for bringing this article to our attention, “Questions haunt friends of Alabama teen missing in Aruba”

JAY REEVES (AP)

MOUNTAIN BROOK, Ala. – The nagging questions won’t go away for the Alabama teenagers who accompanied Natalee Holloway on her ill-fated graduation trip to Aruba.

What happened to bright, blonde Natalee that night she left Carlos’N Charlies’, a popular island bar, with a Dutch teen? Where is she? And, perhaps most haunting: Is there something they could have done differently?

Outwardly upbeat yet plainly troubled since their senior trip became an international media event, friends and former classmates from Mountain Brook High School gathered Tuesday for a cookout to raise money for Holloway’s relatives, who have been in Aruba for three weeks looking for her.

In between starting the charcoal grill and passing out food, they talked about the frustrations of not knowing what happened to the 18-year-old honor student everybody called “Hooty” or “Nat.”

Beau Barron, 18, said he and other classmates who went on the trip didn’t know what to think when Holloway failed to show up for the flight home to Alabama on May 30. “Initially it was just disbelief,” said Barron.

As the days turned into weeks following her disappearance, most everyone who was on the trip wondered whether they could have done more to make sure Holloway got back to their hotel safely, he said.

“(But) that’s something you don’t need to dwell on because you can’t turn back time,” said Barron.

From what we have noticed from our discussion boards and emails many of the Mountain Brook teens as well as family and friend keep the hope with yellow ribbons and baby blue rubber bracelets.

Madison Whatley, one of Holloway’s three roommates during the trip, is a regular at prayer vigils that have been held at Mountain Brook Community Church since the group got home. She also wears a baby blue rubber bracelet that says “Hope for Natalee.”

“It’s frustrating, but it helps to come to the prayer service,” Whatley said.

I am sure that this has to be so very difficult for all of you. For the teens that we have dealt with here, our heart aches for them. There are many stages that one goes through in such a traumatic occurrence. I would say as much as there is pain and you want this solved and Natalee returned; this may not be the absolute correct way in doing it.

Reynolds didn’t elaborate, and Barron said people who went on the trip aren’t publicly discussing details of what happened in Aruba at the request of Holloway’s family, which fears the publicity could hamper the investigation.

The media glare itself has been a shock in itself for the kids from Mountain Brook, a wealthy, cloistered Birmingham suburb that is home to many of the state’s most prominent doctors, lawyers and business leaders.

“The publicity hamper the investigation”? Believe you me, I am the first to question the MSM’s motives; however, remaining completely silent jeopardizes the story falling off the main page and the top story. Pick your interviews wisely and get it in writing what is supposed to be the theme of the interview. All of you should know that you are more than welcome to come to the Natalee discussion board or just email/PM Tom or myself if you wish to discuss this matter or make a point or tell your story without having the pressures of the MSM scrutiny and gotcha tactics. We would like to for the Holloway & Twitty family and friends keep the story in the forefront to that the authorities do the right thing and everything is done to find Natalee.