More than a thousand strangers gathered in the rain Oct. 13 to release purple and green balloons as a memorial for Jessica Ridgeway, who was abducted on Oct. 5 and found dead Oct. 10 in Arvada.
The supporters offered condolences not only to Jessica’s family and friends, but to each other.
“It brought the family and community together,” Brian Trullinger, the site commander said. “It’s about Jessica.”
The balloons were released with notes for Jessica, written mostly by visitors who had never met Jessica or her family.
“The amount of support that the community has shown is just overwhelming,” Jessica’s cousin Shannon Wimer said. “I didn’t know the community could come together like this.”
Many visitors dressed in purple, Jessica’s favorite color, as they not only mourned but celebrated her life.
“It’s too much to even comprehend. As a mom of five, it’s hard. I can only imagine what [Jessica’s mom] is going through,” Denver’s Charris Smith said.
Several mourners discussed that even though acts of evil leave their mark on the community, so do acts of kindness.
“There are more good people than bad people, we just have to remember that,” said Amber Gersch, a command center volunteer at the memorial.
The gathering took place at American Furniture Warehouse, near 94th Avenue and Wadsworth Parkway in Westminster.
People: Jessica Ridgeway
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