Natalee Case Discussion #824 9/06/09 - 10/12/09

[texasmom]

What about Joran's statements to Greta?
Was Greta conspiring with the Arubian Government?

Joran says that the Kalpoes are going to give him $1,000,000 from their settlement from Dr. Phil
and he implicates them once again.
He said that Paulus paid off the Police and implicates his father yet again.
He says that he sold Natalee to someone who took her away on a boat.

Greta recorded all of those statements and repeated them on television just as Peter R. DeVries did.
That doesn't necessarially mean that she believes they are true statements.

I have not seen an official statement releasing the Kalpoes as suspects.
Maybe I have missed that.

Magnolia

It was Joran's words freely spoken to Greta on her show for all of America to hear.  Greta did not claim that she secretly recorded this "confession" ... the "fabrication".

Janet

http://scaredmonkeys.com/2008/11/25/missing-in-aruba-joran-van-der-sloot-now-says-he-sold-natalee-holloway-to-a-venezuelan-man-who-wanted-a-blonde-girl-for-10k/

Steve Holloway on November 25th, 2008 8:40 am

He needed money so he called Greta thinking he could make an easy 10 grand and no matter what, nothing would happen in Aruba. My guess is this story will not check out.

[Magnolia]

What about Joran's statements to Greta?
Was Greta conspiring with the Arubian Government?

Joran says that the Kalpoes are going to give him $1,000,000 from their settlement from Dr. Phil
and he implicates them once again.
He said that Paulus paid off the Police and implicates his father yet again.
He says that he sold Natalee to someone who took her away on a boat.

Greta recorded all of those statements and repeated them on television just as Peter R. DeVries did.
That doesn't necessarially mean that she believes they are true statements.

I have not seen an official statement releasing the Kalpoes as suspects.
Maybe I have missed that.

Magnolia

It was Joran's words freely spoken to Greta on her show for all of America to hear.  Greta did not claim that she secretly recorded this "confession" ... the "fabrication".

Janet

Janet,
Your reasoning makes absolutely no sense to me, but you just keep right on posting your opinions.
From  now on I will simply skip over your posts.

[Tamikosmom]

What about Joran's statements to Greta?
Was Greta conspiring with the Arubian Government?

Joran says that the Kalpoes are going to give him $1,000,000 from their settlement from Dr. Phil
and he implicates them once again.
He said that Paulus paid off the Police and implicates his father yet again.
He says that he sold Natalee to someone who took her away on a boat.

Greta recorded all of those statements and repeated them on television just as Peter R. DeVries did.
That doesn't necessarially mean that she believes they are true statements.

I have not seen an official statement releasing the Kalpoes as suspects.
Maybe I have missed that.

Magnolia

It was Joran's words freely spoken to Greta on her show for all of America to hear.  Greta did not claim that she secretly recorded this "confession" ... the "fabrication".

Janet

http://scaredmonkeys.com/2008/11/25/missing-in-aruba-joran-van-der-sloot-now-says-he-sold-natalee-holloway-to-a-venezuelan-man-who-wanted-a-blonde-girl-for-10k/

Steve Holloway on November 25th, 2008 8:40 am

He needed money so he called Greta thinking he could make an easy 10 grand and no matter what, nothing would happen in Aruba. My guess is this story will not check out.

texasmom ... considering I am a believer in Kyle Kingman's own words regarding the trap/cage ... I agree. 

When I said freely ... I was not meaning in terms of monies.  I meant ...  his own free will.  Joran knew that he was not only speaking to Greta on her show ... he was speaking to all of America.  Greta was not secretly recording his words in a private interview.  Greta paid for the interview for ratings ... that is what talk show hosts do.  The Aruban "powers that be" hate Greta.

Janet

[Tamikosmom]

What about Joran's statements to Greta?
Was Greta conspiring with the Arubian Government?

Joran says that the Kalpoes are going to give him $1,000,000 from their settlement from Dr. Phil
and he implicates them once again.
He said that Paulus paid off the Police and implicates his father yet again.
He says that he sold Natalee to someone who took her away on a boat.

Greta recorded all of those statements and repeated them on television just as Peter R. DeVries did.
That doesn't necessarially mean that she believes they are true statements.

I have not seen an official statement releasing the Kalpoes as suspects.
Maybe I have missed that.

Magnolia

It was Joran's words freely spoken to Greta on her show for all of America to hear.  Greta did not claim that she secretly recorded this "confession" ... the "fabrication".

Janet

Janet,
Your reasoning makes absolutely no sense to me, but you just keep right on posting your opinions.
From  now on I will simply skip over your posts.

 

[texasmom]

What about Joran's statements to Greta?
Was Greta conspiring with the Arubian Government?

Joran says that the Kalpoes are going to give him $1,000,000 from their settlement from Dr. Phil
and he implicates them once again.
He said that Paulus paid off the Police and implicates his father yet again.
He says that he sold Natalee to someone who took her away on a boat.

Greta recorded all of those statements and repeated them on television just as Peter R. DeVries did.
That doesn't necessarially mean that she believes they are true statements.

I have not seen an official statement releasing the Kalpoes as suspects.
Maybe I have missed that.

Magnolia

It was Joran's words freely spoken to Greta on her show for all of America to hear.  Greta did not claim that she secretly recorded this "confession" ... the "fabrication".

Janet

http://scaredmonkeys.com/2008/11/25/missing-in-aruba-joran-van-der-sloot-now-says-he-sold-natalee-holloway-to-a-venezuelan-man-who-wanted-a-blonde-girl-for-10k/

Steve Holloway on November 25th, 2008 8:40 am

He needed money so he called Greta thinking he could make an easy 10 grand and no matter what, nothing would happen in Aruba. My guess is this story will not check out.

texasmom ... considering I am a believer in Kyle Kingman's own words regarding the trap/cage ... I agree. 

When I said freely ... I was not meaning in terms of monies.  I meant ...  his own free will.  Joran knew that he was not only speaking to Greta on her show ... he was speaking to all of America.  Greta was not secretly recording his words in a private interview.  Greta paid for the interview for ratings ... that is what talk show hosts do.  The Aruban "powers that be" hate Greta.

Janet

Joran spoke to Patrick of his own free will too, about a lot of things.  

People all over the world got a look at the real Joran from those secret recordings.  There is no doubt in my mind about that.

If Natalee was in the cage/trap, how do you suppose she got there?

[texasmom]

What about Joran's statements to Greta?
Was Greta conspiring with the Arubian Government?

Joran says that the Kalpoes are going to give him $1,000,000 from their settlement from Dr. Phil
and he implicates them once again.
He said that Paulus paid off the Police and implicates his father yet again.
He says that he sold Natalee to someone who took her away on a boat.

Greta recorded all of those statements and repeated them on television just as Peter R. DeVries did.
That doesn't necessarially mean that she believes they are true statements.

I have not seen an official statement releasing the Kalpoes as suspects.
Maybe I have missed that.

Magnolia

It was Joran's words freely spoken to Greta on her show for all of America to hear.  Greta did not claim that she secretly recorded this "confession" ... the "fabrication".

Janet

Janet,
Your reasoning makes absolutely no sense to me, but you just keep right on posting your opinions.
From  now on I will simply skip over your posts.

I had my "dead horse" link ready earlier today.   

[Sharon/Tx]

I'm so far behind, I think I'm first!  I cannot imagine how frustrating and heart wrenching all of this is for Beth and Dave.  I cannot imagine watching some smirky punk say what he said on National Television about what he did to Natalee.  My question is this.  Has our FBI washed their hands of this case or are they still watching and waiting?  I firmly believe this could have been any of our daughters and I hope and pray we see justice.  I thank God my daughter is not going to Aruba for her honeymoon.  I also demanded she have her "International" phone settings turned on for the Mayan Riviera and that I would even pay for it that month....thank you Beth!  The longer it takes for justice, the angrier I get. 

[texasmom]

I'm so far behind, I think I'm first!  I cannot imagine how frustrating and heart wrenching all of this is for Beth and Dave.  I cannot imagine watching some smirky punk say what he said on National Television about what he did to Natalee.  My question is this.  Has our FBI washed their hands of this case or are they still watching and waiting?  I firmly believe this could have been any of our daughters and I hope and pray we see justice.  I thank God my daughter is not going to Aruba for her honeymoon.  I also demanded she have her "International" phone settings turned on for the Mayan Riviera and that I would even pay for it that month....thank you Beth!  The longer it takes for justice, the angrier I get. 

Good to see you Sharon/Tx!   

I wish I knew what the FBI is doing if anything!  I get angrier too every time I think about what that deviant has admitted to and NOTHING has been done about it.

Good thinking about the international calling!  I hope they have a safe and wonderful honeymoon and they don't need it; but if they should they'll have it. 

[Magnolia]

I'm so far behind, I think I'm first!  I cannot imagine how frustrating and heart wrenching all of this is for Beth and Dave.  I cannot imagine watching some smirky punk say what he said on National Television about what he did to Natalee.  My question is this.  Has our FBI washed their hands of this case or are they still watching and waiting?  I firmly believe this could have been any of our daughters and I hope and pray we see justice.  I thank God my daughter is not going to Aruba for her honeymoon.  I also demanded she have her "International" phone settings turned on for the Mayan Riviera and that I would even pay for it that month....thank you Beth!  The longer it takes for justice, the angrier I get. 

Good to see you Sharon/Tx!   

I wish I knew what the FBI is doing if anything!  I get angrier too every time I think about what that deviant has admitted to and NOTHING has been done about it.

Good thinking about the international calling!  I hope they have a safe and wonderful honeymoon and they don't need it; but if they should they'll have it. 

For the primary suspect in an internationally known murder investigation to agree to admit on video tape that
he was a part of the death and disposal of Natalee Holloway is too stupid for even Joran.  Just didn't happen that way.

[texasmom]

I'm so far behind, I think I'm first!  I cannot imagine how frustrating and heart wrenching all of this is for Beth and Dave.  I cannot imagine watching some smirky punk say what he said on National Television about what he did to Natalee.  My question is this.  Has our FBI washed their hands of this case or are they still watching and waiting?  I firmly believe this could have been any of our daughters and I hope and pray we see justice.  I thank God my daughter is not going to Aruba for her honeymoon.  I also demanded she have her "International" phone settings turned on for the Mayan Riviera and that I would even pay for it that month....thank you Beth!  The longer it takes for justice, the angrier I get. 

Good to see you Sharon/Tx!   

I wish I knew what the FBI is doing if anything!  I get angrier too every time I think about what that deviant has admitted to and NOTHING has been done about it.

Good thinking about the international calling!  I hope they have a safe and wonderful honeymoon and they don't need it; but if they should they'll have it. 

For the primary suspect in an internationally known murder investigation to agree to admit on video tape that
he was a part of the death and disposal of Natalee Holloway is too stupid for even Joran.  Just didn't happen that way.

I agree. 

[wreck]

I'm so far behind, I think I'm first!  I cannot imagine how frustrating and heart wrenching all of this is for Beth and Dave.  I cannot imagine watching some smirky punk say what he said on National Television about what he did to Natalee.  My question is this.  Has our FBI washed their hands of this case or are they still watching and waiting?  I firmly believe this could have been any of our daughters and I hope and pray we see justice.  I thank God my daughter is not going to Aruba for her honeymoon.  I also demanded she have her "International" phone settings turned on for the Mayan Riviera and that I would even pay for it that month....thank you Beth!  The longer it takes for justice, the angrier I get. 

Good to see you Sharon/Tx!   

I wish I knew what the FBI is doing if anything!  I get angrier too every time I think about what that deviant has admitted to and NOTHING has been done about it.

Good thinking about the international calling!  I hope they have a safe and wonderful honeymoon and they don't need it; but if they should they'll have it. 

For the primary suspect in an internationally known murder investigation to agree to admit on video tape that
he was a part of the death and disposal of Natalee Holloway is too stupid for even Joran.  Just didn't happen that way.

I agree. 

I also agree. I contend that Joran was actually admitting/bragging to patrick that he was really involved but even Joran would not tell him the actual REAL details.

[Tamikosmom]

THE RANGE ROVER RECORDINGS

The Range Rover recordings?  I speculate that the "confession" hoax was  collaborated by Joran van der Sloot, Peter Devries, Patrick vander Eem and the Aruban "powers that be" in the investigation and ... it was all about furthering the coverup agenda by:

1.  Appeasing the family of Natalee Holloway by only implicating an underage Joran ... an underage Joran who at the most would receive a slap on the wrist for initiating a disposal of a body.

Peter Devries

No Resarrest for Joran: How Do You Explain That to Her relatives?

Joran van der Sloot will not be rearrested for his role in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, according to a decision handed down by the Court on Aruba last night. This is not altogether surprising, considering an earlier pronouncement by the examining judge that the case is now technically ‘on appeal’, but it is difficult to explain. The main problem is that Dutch law does not provide for detention on remand for disposing of a body. It is indeed an offence which carries a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment, but one can’t be kept in custody pending such a sentence.

If, during the drives, Joran had admitted to doing something to Natalee, this would imply a different – more serious – offence, which would indeed have allowed for detention on remand.

However legally correct this may be, this approach remains incomprehensible and inconceivable to Natalee’s relatives. During five separate drives, Joran admitted to being present when Natalie died, that he didn’t go for help but rather had her body dumped in the ocean so that the police and her relatives could never find out what happened.

http://www.peterrdevries.com/news-norearrest.htm


2.  Exonerating Deepak and Satish ... the ones who could reveal the whole truth regarding the involvement of Joran, Paulus' and the sons of the elite in the morning of May 30, 2005 and ... thereby exposing the Aruban coverup that has prevented justice from prevailing for Natalee Holloway.

Peter Devries

How a sensational hidden camera operation
solved the Natalee Holloway case

Jorans friends Deepak and Satish, who have been arrested for this case several times, are completely innocent. Joran declares with pride that he has abused them to create an alibi for himself. He calls them “very stupid boys’”.

http://www.peterrdevries.com/complete-story.htm


3.  Taking the focus off the January 7, 2009 recovery by the Arubans of what could have been Natalee Holloway by no mention of a crab/trap in the disposal.

Peter Devries

How a sensational hidden camera operation
solved the Natalee Holloway case

Joran phones a person named ‘Daury’ who is half Dutch and half Aruban. A couple of other times Joran talks about the fact that he was helped by several other people that night.  Daury has a boat docked in front of the hotel in which he takes cruise tourists on ‘tubes’ and ‘bananas’.  Daury came instantly to Joran and together they quickly declared that Natalee was in fact dead.
 
Together they carried the girl from the beach into Daury’s boat. Daury tells Joran to walk home. He, the friend, takes off onto the ocean where he throws Natalee’s body out of the boat into the sea.
 
http://www.peterrdevries.com/complete-story.htm


4.  Paving the road for a successful outcome in the Kalpoes' defamation lawsuit against Phil McGraw.

The Kalpoe's Attorney

Feb 6, 2008 5:00 am US/Pacific
Former Holloway Suspects Can Sue Dr. Phil   

A judge refused to dismiss a defamation suit Tuesday against CBS and television psychologist "Dr. Phil" McGraw brought by two brothers who were questioned in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

William Cremer, the lead attorney for Surinamese brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, praised the decision by Superior Court Judge Edward A. Ferns.

"I'm going to take Dr. Phil down," he said outside the courtroom.

The ruling came a day after ABC's "20/20" aired a secretly recorded conversation involving Joran Van der Sloot, who also has been interrogated by Aruban authorities on Holloway's May 2005 disappearance. In the tape, Van der Sloot claims that Holloway died on the beach while they were kissing, and that he tried to revive her but failed. He said that the teen's body was dumped in the ocean and that it would never be found.

Joseph Tacopina, a lawyer for Van der Sloot, said that his client was not responsible for the Alabama teenager's death and that the tapes do not amount to a confession. Last week, Van der Sloot said he was lying in those conversations and denied that he had anything to do with Holloway's disappearance.

The Kalpoes, who have maintained they had nothing to do with Holloway's disappearance, sued in December 2006, claiming the "Dr. Phil" talk show altered portions of a taped conversation between Deepak Kalpoe and a private investigator to "create false, incriminating, and defamatory statements that the plaintiffs engaged in criminal activity against Natalee Holloway."

The brothers also contend the TV show implied they helped kill Holloway and got rid of her body. Their suit claims defamation, invasion of privacy, emotional distress, fraud, deceit and civil conspiracy.

Cremer said the taped remarks by Van der Sloot, which were secretly recorded by a Dutch crime reporter, help his clients' defamation case.

"It pretty much exonerates my boys, doesn't it?" Cremer said.

In their dismissal motion, attorneys for CBS Television and McGraw maintained lawyers for the Kalpoes did not meet deadlines to produce all documents they have demanded concerning the criminal case investigation against the brothers in Aruba.

But the judge gave the Kalpoes' lawyers another five days to satisfy the document deadline.

"The documents are relevant to the most fundamental issues in this case," Ferns stated in his ruling. "There is no other (information) which can substitute for the documents sought by the defendants due to the nature of this case."

In June, another judge dismissed a wrongful death case against the Kalpoes by Holloway's parents, ruling the Los Angeles Superior Court did not have jurisdiction. The parents maintained the brothers conceded jurisdiction when they sued CBS and McGraw in Los Angeles.

http://cbs2.com/entertainment/doctor.phil.mcgraw.2.647163.html

[Keepthefaith]

These are just my own opinions.Until Peter R De Vries exposes Paulus & his buddies,as well as the corruption from Aruba to the Netherlands,there is no TRUSTin Peter from me!Me personally.I trust no one from Aruba to the Netherlands until Paulus,The Perps & the corrupt P.O.S are held accountable in one way or another,But,what do i know?

[Tamikosmom]

47.Susy Q on February 4th, 2008 10:51 am

Back at the beginning of this case I swear I remember some one familiar with EU legal stuff that anytime info about a case was used in an “entertainment” show it could never be used as evidence…. Has Peter just ended any hope of prosecution The best legal hope I can see here is having him plead quilty to a charge of unlawful disposal of a body…..six months max and for Joran that will be about three months as he has already done three months in 2005…. was it sweeps week for Dutch TV….I just don’t feel right about this deal…sorry to be so negative but something is not right here…my opinion only and I hope I am wrong.

[Tamikosmom]

http://scaredmonkeys.com/2008/02/04/natalee-holloway-investigation-joran-van-der-sloot-caught-on-tape-its-a-big-ocean/

[wreck]

47.Susy Q on February 4th, 2008 10:51 am

Back at the beginning of this case I swear I remember some one familiar with EU legal stuff that anytime info about a case was used in an “entertainment” show it could never be used as evidence…. Has Peter just ended any hope of prosecution The best legal hope I can see here is having him plead quilty to a charge of unlawful disposal of a body…..six months max and for Joran that will be about three months as he has already done three months in 2005…. was it sweeps week for Dutch TV….I just don’t feel right about this deal…sorry to be so negative but something is not right here…my opinion only and I hope I am wrong.

Well, who knows!! Arlene told us a LOT of things that just aren't true.

[San]

These are just my own opinions.Until Peter R De Vries exposes Paulus & his buddies,as well as the corruption from Aruba to the Netherlands,there is no TRUSTin Peter from me!Me personally.I trust no one from Aruba to the Netherlands until Paulus,The Perps & the corrupt P.O.S are held accountable in one way or another,But,what do i know?

I agree.

[Tamikosmom]

Why is Paulus van der Sloot's participation in the events encompassing the morning of May 30, 2005 not mentioned in Joran van der Sloot's Range Rover confession?  Why is it not an issue with Peter Devries, Patrick van der Eem and Rudy Croes.  The smuggled cell phone is the ultimate discretion that has to be investigated.

Janet

++++++

BETH HOLLOWAY

Growing Frustration in Aruba
Wednesday, July 06, 2005

BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY: ... But there's something that really bothers me, and I don't think I've made any secrets about it, I've kept a journal of everything everyone said, what day, timeframes. And there's something that really has been bothering me as I read over and over my journal, is I know on the 31st that Paul van der Sloot stated that he picked Joran up at 4 a.m. at McDonald's. It was also said to me by a police spokesperson on June 16 and June 17 that Paul van der Sloot stated that he picked up Joran at 4 a.m. on the 31st at McDonald's. But I noticed on the day that I visited Paul van der Sloot at his home, all of a sudden, it was changed to 11 p.m.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,161705,00.html


RUDY CROES

Amigoe.com
02/08/2008

... Also Joran’s father, lawyer Paul van der Sloot seems to fall into disfavour with the Justice-minister. The justice-department does not rule out the fact that the lawyer has smuggled in a cellular phone for his son, when he was in prison. Joran mentioned that when the Dutch crime journalist Peter R. de Vries was secretly recording him.

http://getagripmonkey.blogspot.com/2008/02/joran-persona-non-grata-amigoe.html


PETER DEVRIES

Dutch Crime Reporter Peter De Vries Goes Inside Joran van der Sloot's Explosive Tape
Friday, February 08, 2008

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST: Do you think -- a lot of viewers send me e-mails. I have a -- we have a blog here, Gretawire.com, and they send a lot of comments. They're very suspicious that Paulus Van Der Sloot has more of an involvement than simply just the father of the man who was caught on tape. Do you have any information that in any way incriminates Paulus Van Der Sloot?

PETER DE VRIES, DUTCH CRIME REPORTER:  Well, Joran told on tape that his father smuggled a mobile phone, a cell phone in the prison when he was the first time arrested. And he was a judge at that time, so that's -- that's a sin.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,329847,00.html

[Tamikosmom]

Why is Paulus van der Sloot's participation in the events encompassing the morning of May 30, 2005 not mentioned in Joran van der Sloot's Range Rover confession?  Why is it not an issue with Peter Devries, Patrick van der Eem and Rudy Croes.  The smuggled cell phone is the ultimate discretion that has to be investigated.

Janet

++++++

BETH HOLLOWAY

Growing Frustration in Aruba
Wednesday, July 06, 2005

BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY: ... But there's something that really bothers me, and I don't think I've made any secrets about it, I've kept a journal of everything everyone said, what day, timeframes. And there's something that really has been bothering me as I read over and over my journal, is I know on the 31st that Paul van der Sloot stated that he picked Joran up at 4 a.m. at McDonald's. It was also said to me by a police spokesperson on June 16 and June 17 that Paul van der Sloot stated that he picked up Joran at 4 a.m. on the 31st at McDonald's. But I noticed on the day that I visited Paul van der Sloot at his home, all of a sudden, it was changed to 11 p.m.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,161705,00.html


RUDY CROES

Amigoe.com
02/08/2008

... Also Joran’s father, lawyer Paul van der Sloot seems to fall into disfavour with the Justice-minister. The justice-department does not rule out the fact that the lawyer has smuggled in a cellular phone for his son, when he was in prison. Joran mentioned that when the Dutch crime journalist Peter R. de Vries was secretly recording him.

http://getagripmonkey.blogspot.com/2008/02/joran-persona-non-grata-amigoe.html


PETER DEVRIES

Dutch Crime Reporter Peter De Vries Goes Inside Joran van der Sloot's Explosive Tape
Friday, February 08, 2008

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST: Do you think -- a lot of viewers send me e-mails. I have a -- we have a blog here, Gretawire.com, and they send a lot of comments. They're very suspicious that Paulus Van Der Sloot has more of an involvement than simply just the father of the man who was caught on tape. Do you have any information that in any way incriminates Paulus Van Der Sloot?

PETER DE VRIES, DUTCH CRIME REPORTER:  Well, Joran told on tape that his father smuggled a mobile phone, a cell phone in the prison when he was the first time arrested. And he was a judge at that time, so that's -- that's a sin.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,329847,00.html

PATRICK VANDER EEM

Monday, April 14th, 2008
The ongoing boycot Aruba saga

I am not going into any claims of possible corruption in Aruba from the moment Natalee disappeared because I do not have the knowledge, nor the evidence, that there has been any official government corruption in this case. God knows if the father of Joran has used personal contacts to try to influence the outcome of the case when he was a judge in training. If so, than I would not call it official corruption, but the act of a man who is not even Aruban.

If it was a perfect world the bad guy would always go to jail, but it is not a perfect world. Yours neither Aruba’s. The boycott can go on forever, but at a certain point it ceases to be any good for anyone and that point started after I got Joran’ confession and Beth found peace after she came to know what happened to her daughter.

http://patrickvandereem.nl/stories/the-ongoing-boycot-aruba-saga/

[Tamikosmom]

LLoving Natalee - Beth Holloway

October 2007

Nothing from my life before Natalee disappeared has stayed intact — not my career, not my home, not my marriage. At the same time, a lot of healing has taken place. I began to share Nat's story with tens of thousands of high school and college students, law-enforcement officials, and faith groups, so they can learn from it. A curriculum on safe travel is being developed (for details, go to safetravelsfoundation.org). I want change to come from our ordeal.

I have received the two things I needed most to survive this crisis: hope and prayers. With hope and faith, a human being can endure almost anything. I'm proof of that. I never imagined I would be "that parent," the one no one wants to be. But I was, and I still am. I will forever be Natalee's mom.