Mountain Brook Grads Now at Vanderbilt Talk Natalee and Hope

In an interview from the Vanderbilt Hustler, two of Natalee’s friends speak out and provide their thoughts, opinions, and hopes regarding Natalee Hollow.

Mountain Brook High School, the school that Holloway attended, sent nine students to Vanderbilt this year, eight of which went on the traditional graduation trip to Aruba. The events that surrounded Holloway’s sudden disappearance from her graduation trip unfolded before the eyes of people everywhere this summer. The continuing investigations into the case brought the tiny island of Aruba, and the small city where Holloway was from, into the spotlight

Natalee’s two friends go on to recounts the events on that evening at Carlos ‘N Charlie’s and the confusion that transpired at the end on the evening.

Allen calmly recounted the events of the night Holloway disappeared, seemingly eager to dispel major media rumors. “I remember dancing with her for most of the time, and then an hour before (Carlos ‘N’ Charlies) closed, I didn’t see her again. She hadn’t planned on meeting (Van der Sloot), he just happened to be there,” Page said. “That night was more hectic than others was because it closed at 1 a.m. There was sort of a mass exodus out of the place – everyone left all at once.” “You didn’t want to stand out on the side of the street, and we were all in one place getting in cabs,” Allen said. “We knew none of our friends would get up and go somewhere else, because there was nowhere else to be.”

What is important to remember in this what seems to be tragic story and the aftermath that many Mountain Brook students deal with is the fact that it is at best difficult to deal with such an event. How does one keep the memory alive, but at the same time try to go on? Trying to forget, which one never wants to do entirely, but has to be done to some extent to be able to go on with life. It is a fact that many of the Mountain Brook teens I am sure are going through which only creates a form of guilt. Page expresses it very well when she discusses how she copes with the Natalee Holloway situation and how she keeps Natalee’s memory and hope alive.

How important is it to keep Holloway’s memory alive? “It’s important…I think about it everyday. It’s hard to forget, and I wouldn’t want to forget it. I have pictures of her on my wall. It makes me feel better that I think about her every day at least,” Page said.

Though both girls declined to comment when asked whether or not they believed Holloway to still be alive, they did express their hope that what happened that night in Aruba will eventually be uncovered. “Part of me doesn’t like hearing about it a lot, but if everyone forgot about it, then that would just make me sadder.

I think everyone can agree with Natalee’s friend Page when she says the following:

“Everyone is together dealing with it at the same time,” The worst part is not knowing anything, and it’s been that way for a long time.”

This is a must read account of two of Natalee’s friends who have yet to be heard from. Read the full article.