Early on Tuesday, Feb. 10, President Barack Obama confirmed the death of a fourth American, aid worker Kayla Jean Mueller, being held by militants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
“On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I convey our deepest condolences to Kayla’s family — her parents, Marsha and Carl, and her brother Eric and his family — and all of those who loved Kayla dearly. At this time of unimaginable suffering, the country shares in their grief,” Obama said.
Mueller was a resident of Prescott and a student at Northern Arizona University. She worked with humanitarian organizations in India, Israel and the Palestinian territories then Turkey, where she helped refugees who fled the civil war in Syria.
She had friends in Prescott, Flagstaff and the Verde Valley and my friends who knew her well are currently dealing with a profound loss felt half a world away.
Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad is waging a civil war against secular and religious Syrians, ethnic Kurds and the extremely fanatical zealots like those of ISIL, who seek to establish a caliphate over the Muslim world.
According to news sources, Mueller was killed in an air strike aimed at ISIL militants who had kidnapped her in August 2013 from the Syrian city of Aleppo, where she was working with refugees. Although U.S. authorities had confirmed a 26-year-old American women was being held hostage by ISIL, Mueller’s family had requested her identity remain anonymous to protect her safety.
ISIL militants had previously kidnapped and beheaded American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, aid worker Peter Kassig, as well as a handful of other international aid workers and journalists in brutal videotaped exploitations. Last week, the same cadre of ISIL militants executed downed Jordanian fighter pilot Muath Al Kasasbeh by lighting him on fire.
Jordan has been conducting air strikes on ISIL with U.S. and other allies in the region, but following Al Kasasbeh’s brutal murder, King Abdullah II of Jordan — a tank commander, Cobra helicopter pilot and paratrooper with 35 years of special forces military experience in the British and Jordanian armies — vowed to fight ISIL until his country runs “out of fuel and bullets.”
Obama made a similar statement: “No matter how long it takes, the United States will find and bring to justice the terrorists who are responsible for Kayla’s captivity and death.”
The revenge is justifiable, as violence may be the only way to deal with a faction that refuses negotiate or follow the basic tenets of human decency and the Geneva Conventions to protect non-combatants like aid workers, medical personnel and journalists.
Even so, Mueller was first and foremost a humanitarian seeking to do good in a world where violence is the only currency.
“Kayla’s compassion and dedication to assisting those in need shows us that even amongst unconscionable evil, the essential decency of humanity can live on,” Obama said. “Kayla represents what is best about America, and expressed her deep pride in the freedoms that we Americans enjoy, and that so many others strive for around the world. She said: ‘Here we are. Free to speak out without fear of being killed, blessed to be protected by the same law we are subjected to, free to see our families as we please, free to cross borders and free to disagree. We have many people to thank for these freedoms and I see it as an injustice not to use them to their fullest.’”
The Mueller family has requested donations be made to causes Kayla would have supported.
Christopher Fox Graham
Larson Newspapers
Read more: President Barack Obama’s offical statement on the death of Kayla Jean Mueller.
Read more: Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s official statement on the death of Kayla Jean Mueller.
Read more: While held captive, Kayla Jean Mueller was able to smuggle a letter out of Syria to her family, which they released to the public earlier this week. Read the original letter by clicking here and a transcription by clicking here.
Read more: Tribute from Food for Life Vrindavan, the Indian nonprofit with whom she worked in 2010.
Memorial for Kayla Jean Mueller at Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University will host a candlelight vigil Kayla Jean Mueller and offer several opportunities for the campus and community to honor alumna Kayla Jean Mueller.
The candlelight vigil will take place from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, at the Campus Ministry Center. Mueller was actively involved at the center with the United Christian Ministry as an undergraduate student. The center is located at 500 W. Riordan Road in Flagstaff. Free parking is available in lot P13 east of the center on Riordan Road and in the Knoles Drive parking garage, lot P96A.
Individuals are invited to contribute to a memorial message board outside of the center at anytime before, during or after the vigil.
The community also is invited to contribute messages to the memorial in the art gallery on the second floor of the NAU School of Communication, open through Feb. 16.
Prescott community to host Kayla Mueller Candlelight Memorial
Several local churches and community organizations are joining together to present Remembering Kayla: A Community Candlelight Memorial, taking place at Prescott’s Courthouse Square on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m. The free event is open to the public and will honor Kayla Mueller and her family through a reflection on her life, words of hope, times of prayer, and special music. Anyone coming is asked to bring their own candle.
Attendees will have the opportunity to write notes of encouragement to Kayla’s family members and also contribute a canned food item to benefit the Community Cupboard in honor of Kayla’s passion for serving the needy. Financial donations can also be made to Kayla’s Hands Foundation at kaylashands.org.
Kayla Mueller, 26, was a humanitarian aid worker who had been taken hostage by ISIS militants over a year ago in Syria. The Mueller family and the White House confirmed Tuesday that she had died. President Obama said Mueller “represents what is best about America, and expressed her deep pride in the freedoms that we Americans enjoy, and that so many others strive for around the world.”
Remembering Kayla: A Community Memorial
Contact Information: Heights Church/Ron Merrell
(928) 445-1421
2121 Larry Caldwell Drive, Prescott, AZ. 86301
