This has been a really rough week. Monday, I scanned the local news and glanced at an article about a young mother who had been stabbed to death in Newport News. My eyes fixed on the name of the mother. Danielle Knarr. My mind tried to change that name to something else. I tried to change the words "to death" to something else. I tried to read the sentences again so they'd read that she was a witness, not the victim, but no, she was the victim. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be. I knew there could only be one 24-year-old Danielle Knarr in Newport News. I called my husband and told him the news. I tried not to cry (I was at work), but it was hard.
Danielle as a young girl
Twenty-five years ago, my husband and I were asked to be Godparents to Danielle. Another couple was also asked. At the baptism, Danielle's parents and we four Godparents surrounded her with love.
We got to know Danielle when she was very young, babysat her once or twice when her father had to work. She was delightful. Quiet and curious, polite and happy. Over the years, after she moved away, we didn't keep in touch. I regret that very much now.
We had her picture (above) on our refrigerator for over ten years. We thought about Danielle a lot -- we'd see her smiling face when we opened the 'fridge and wonder what she was up to. She was always in our hearts even if we never told her that.
I can't stand that her life was cut short so soon. It's especially horrible that her life was taken by someone so close to her, the father of her children, someone she had apparently loved at some point in her life.
What has helped is that there has been a huge outpouring of love for Danielle. On Facebook, her good friend started a memorial page and over 400 people have joined. Most are people who knew Danielle at some point in their lives and shared memories and photos of her. There are many pictures of her as an adult and pictures of her with her children. She had grown up so much! From the memories on Facebook, I've learned that she grew into a beautiful young woman, intelligent and hard-working, with as big a smile as the one that's been on our refrigerator door for years.
I still can't believe she's gone. I know her family and friends are devastated. She was loved by many and will always be remembered by those whose lives she touched.
