Kayla Mueller’s Family Shares Her Last Letter Home
Kayla Mueller’s family is still mourning a tremendous loss. However, during their first interview since Kayla’s death, Carl and Marsha Mueller shared their daughter’s last letter home. Although the letter is heartbreaking, it highlights Kayla’s strength, devotion, and faith.
With a passion for human rights, the young woman traveled the world volunteering for humanitarian organizations.
On December 2012, Kayla Mueller moved to southern Turkey to work with Syrian refugees. Nearly one year later, she crossed the Syrian border with a friend — who was scheduled to work at a Doctors Without Borders hospital. Unfortunately, she never made it back to Turkey.
The USA will never pay to get hostages back. @CNN #KaylaMueller
— Nicholas Vollaro (@nicholasvollaro) February 23, 2015
As reported by AZ Central, Kayla was on her way back to Turkey when she was abducted by Islamic State militants. She was held hostage for a total of 18 months prior to her death. On February 6, an ISIS spokesperson announced that a female American hostage was killed during a Jordanian airstrike.
The hostage was later identified as 26-year-old Kayla Mueller. The specific details surrounding Kayla’s death may never be known. However, her parents believe the militants were willing to negotiate for her release.
#KaylaMueller & the Impossibly Dangerous Job of Providing Aid to #Syria #ISIS @sams_usa @ird_relief @beenishfahmed http://t.co/Fie09k4dTd
— Danny Postel (@DannyPostel) February 23, 2015
In her final letter home, Kayla urged her family not to worry. As reported by Today, she also suggests that she was treated fairly and expected to be released.
“I am OK, healthy, remaining strong and being treated kindly. Do not worry… I love you all… I am very sad that I am far… but when I come home we can play, make music together and have so much fun… “
Kayla also encouraged her family to remain strong, quoting a passage out of the Bible and suggesting that they “give [their] suffering to the Lord.”
Carl and Marsha said they never lost hope, as they remained in contact with Kayla and her captors. Unfortunately, the ISIS militants demanded more than $6 million for their daughter’s return.
As they were unable to raise the funds themselves, they turned to the U.S. government for assistance. The Muellers were later informed that the U.S. government does not pay ransom for the return of American citizens — as a matter of policy.
Carl Mueller said he understands the government’s hesitation to negotiate with terrorists. However, he thinks the current policy needs to be revised.
“We understand the policy about not paying ransom, but on the other hand, any parents out there would understand that you would want anything and everything done to bring your child home… And we tried, and we asked… And it didn’t get it changed.”
Kayla Mueller’s kidnapping and death will likely remain a point of heated controversy. Unfortunately, U.S. government’s reaction to her capture and the lack of details surrounding her death have only added fuel to the fire.
[Images via Facebook]
