Natalee & Family; “We aren’t there in Aruba, but they’re here in our prayers.”

The following is a story that I missed from about a week back from The Clinton News, “Neighbors share friends’ pain”.

After so many continuous stories of accounts and the trials and tribulations, emotional highs and lows of the investigation going on in Aruba, I felt it necessary to actually post a story of one of the reasons why so many have been drawn to the story.

“This is where they grew up, right there in Cascades,” said Wanda Reeves, a former next-door neighbor and longtime family friend. “You couldn’t ask for better neighbors or friends.”

During the Holloway’s’ years in Clinton, they were well respected, both as neighbors and as parents.

“They were a loving family, the kind of folks you hope to have as neighbors,” Davis said. “Natalee was always a very good kid. She was a pleasure to be around.”

(full story can be read here.)

I have said in the past my connection that drew me to this story in that I had lived, worked and even been down in Aruba at the same age as Natalee. I had even spent to there by myself. I think the phenomena with the connection to the Natalee Holloway and her parents by so many can best be described in the article by Mary Elizabeth,

“When I think back to my senior trip last year, I realize this could have happened to any of us,” she said. “We all talk to people we’ve just met and never think anything about it.

In essence Natalee became everyone’s daughter and the Holloway & Twitty’s became anyone’s family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all concerned.

Hat Tip: iquitos, one of our Aruban commenter’s.

Wizbang also has covered the story.