Handle with Care

Girls,

I wish I had a happy topic to talk to you about, but circumstances and life can get in the way. As you well know, life isn't a walk in the park, so I suspect I'll have a few more serious messages for you...

There's a terrible situation unraveling in Charlottesville right now. A young female student at the University of Virginia has gone missing. 

I think she disappeared almost three weeks ago. Almost immediately, security camera footage emerged. Then more and more glimpses of the young lady showed up in various other security cameras. Then nothing.

There have been no sightings of Hannah Graham, although the police do have a man in custody charged with her abduction.

It seems a little silly for this to be on my mind when you're both so young. But it's the thing that nightmares are made of.

I should be clear: no woman is to blame or bare any responsibility in a situation like this. But there are callous people with seriously bad intent in the world, so I can't help but think of ways this situation could have possibly been avoided.

Even the facts surrounding Hannah's disappearance are still murky; the investigation is ongoing. 

What the police have released is a timeline of Hannah's movements, corroborated by security camera footage, and an abridged account of their investigation.

It seems that Hannah became separated from her friends and was walking through Charlottesville alone. Cameras caught Hannah walking with the man later arrested for her abduction.

The whole thing makes my mind kick into overdrive. What if she'd remained with her friends? What if she'd been delayed, and never crossed paths with her assailant? Had she consumed too much alcohol, and become somewhat defenseless? The "what ifs" could go on and on, but they'll do nothing to help Hannah.

Be careful as you grow up. Never take your personal safety for granted. I know, sadly, that Hannah's story will be repeated in the future, and there's nothing I can do to prevent that. Maybe it's my ALS prognosis and the fact I wont be there to protect you that makes Hannah's disappearance resonate so acutely...I don't know.

I love you both more than any other thing on the planet. I care about you more than anything else  on the planet.

Dad