The Mystery Behind The Case Of Gabby Petito

Everyone believed everything would go perfectly for Gabby Petito. After all, she was 22 years old and about to start the adventure of a lifetime with her fiancé Brian Laundrie. That was until everything changed - with no one realizing just how deep the rabbit hole would go.

What started a new chapter for the youngster quickly turned into a media whirlwind that gripped the world as no one could understand where she had gone. Sadly, a look inside the chilling case of Gabby Petito reveals there’s even more to the story than many realize - and it’s far from over.

Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie were set to make their road trip dreams come true

Like many young couples, Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie had big dreams. Gabby was just 22 at the time, while her finacé, Brian, was 23 in the summer of 2021. The pair began dating in 2019 and quickly embarked on a road trip across the country at the end of the year, traveling from New York to California.

Shortly after her 21st birthday, Brian got down on one knee, with the pair cementing their new chapter by quitting their jobs and planning an even grander road trip. It all started in June 2021, with the couple traveling through Kansas, Colorado, and Utah - and Gabby posting pictures of their adventure to her social media the entire time.

The couple started documenting their new lives together through a joint channel

Traveling was nothing new for Gabby Petito, who was already known for her love of adventure and all things outside. However, the pair were young, and they knew they needed to make some money before they could make their dreams come true. In the end, Gabby worked 50-hour weeks while Brian worked at an organic juice bar.

This gave Gabby and Brian all the money they needed to convert a 2012 Ford Transit Connect van into a camper they used for their grand road trip. That wasn’t all. Gabby was used to posting to her own social media channels. However, traveling with her fiancé saw the youngster start a new page, Nomadic Statik, to document the adventure.

Things weren’t entirely as they seemed between Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie on the surface

Gabby Petitio uploaded the pair’s first - and only - video on August 19, 2021. Sadly, things weren’t entirely like the dream they painted behind closed doors. Just a couple of days before she uploaded the video, a man driving through Moab, Utah, noticed something strange outside the grocery store Moonflower. In fact, it was enough for him to call the cops.

The man explained he saw a man “slapping” a woman. According to transcripts published by People magazine, the man explained he stopped, but the pair began to run along the sidewalk before the man struck the woman again, and they drove off together. Another witness added it looked as though the man was trying to leave the woman behind.

Gabby Petito continued to travel, but conversations with her mom seemed off

Despite the call to the police and an investigation, things continued on as usual for Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie. By August 24, 2021, the couple was seen leaving a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah, as they headed off to their next stop. Like many other days, Gabby video-called her mom, but something seemed wrong.

Nichole, Gabby’s mom, later admitted that it seemed there was “more and more” tension brewing between Gabby and Brian, but her daughter wouldn’t go into any more detail. Despite things bubbling beneath the surface, Gabby continued to post on social media. Still, her location was noticeably missing from her August 25 upload as she posed for the camera.

Her mother received a text from Gabby that seemed “odd”

Like plenty of other parents, Nichole was already worried about Gabby Petito, as things didn’t seem right the last time they spoke. Things took another turn just two days later, on August 27, 2021. According to Nichole, she received a text from her daughter asking, “Can you help Stan” as she “just kept getting his voicemails and missed calls.”

Nichole knew just who Gabby was talking about, as Stan was her daughter’s grandfather. The problem? She never called him by his first name. Nichole was immediately concerned something terrible was happening, but she couldn’t get hold of her daughter. To make matters worse, Gabby had stopped posting on social media and seemed to have disappeared from the internet.

Gabby Petito’s phone went down, but she wasn’t reported missing until weeks later

Despite the fact no one could get a hold of her, Gabby Petito’s family knew she was with her finacé and assumed they must just be caught up in the moment. It wasn’t until they hadn’t heard from their daughter several weeks later, on September 11, 2021, that Gabby’s family called the police and filed a missing persons report.

Apparently, she had last told her family she was near Grand Teton National Park in Jackson, Wyoming, and hadn’t been heard from since her final strange text. Gabby’s father, Joseph, later told Newsday that not knowing where his daughter was felt like “drowning with your hands tied behind you” and that “There’s nothing you can do.”

Brian Laundrie had already returned home, but no one knew about his whereabouts

It wasn’t long before the disappearance of Gabby Petitio gripped the area as people headed out in their hundreds to search for the youngster. Many started to wonder what Brian Laundrie knew about it all, but it only added more layers to the story. Apparently, he had gone home on September 1, 2021, ten days before Gabby was reported missing.

That wasn’t all. Gabby had last been seen on August 27 at a restaurant in Jackson Hole, where she was apparently in an explosive restaurant with Brian before he left her in tears. Just four hours later, fellow travel bloggers were driving through Grand Teton National Park when they noticed the couple’s “abandoned” van on a dirt road.

Authorities officially launched a search for Gabby Petito with few leads to follow

People surrounding the national park were quick to do everything they could to help the police, knowing just how large the area was they had to search. Gabby Petitio and Brian Laundrie’s families also publicly spoke about wishing the 22-year-old New York native would be found safe and sound before returning home. That all changed on September 16, 2021.

Gabby’s parents wrote an open letter begging for help, stating they believed Brian’s parents “know the location where Brian left Gabby” and asked, “how could you let us go through this pain” as they were also parents. The following day, Brian’s sister, Cassie, spoke publicly on ‘Good Morning America’ about how Gabby is “like a sister.”

Authorities officially named Brian Laundrie as a person of interest in Gabby Petito's disappearance

While Gabby Petito's family was doing all they could to find clues that would lead them to their daughter, Brian Laundrie's family took a different stance. They issued statements about how they had an attorney and wouldn't be cooperating with the investigation, with only Brian's sister Cassie speaking to the press against her parent's wishes.

By this time, investigators had started making moves toward finding Gabby as they announced Brian was a person of interest - not a suspect, but someone they needed to talk to. The problems started when Brian's family told officers they needed to speak to their attorney, with Gabby's dad admitting Brian had “always been a person of interest in my opinion.”

Brian Laundrie’s parents report their son as missing, claiming he hasn’t been seen in days

The same day that Brian Laundrie’s family hired an attorney was the same day they last saw their son. According to reports, Brian told his family he was going to hike around the Carlton Reserve in Florida, but he never returned home. The investigation was hotting up with him being named a POI, but Brian was nowhere to be seen.

Brian wasn’t reported missing until three days later, on September 16, 2021, with the police announcing they were working alongside the FBI “on a multiple missing person investigation.” According to their report, investigators had been trying to talk to Brian’s family “all week,” and “they’re saying now they’ve not seen their son,” adding “another twist in this story.”

A body was officially found in September 2021, with authorities stating her life was ended

It had been 25 days since anyone had seen Gabby Petito when the world heard the news they had been dreading. They had found a body. It was uncovered in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, but due to the conditions it was found in, they needed to run a full autopsy to see if it was Gabby.

The FBI released a statement stating that whoever it was, they had lost their life to someone else, with Michael Schneider, a Special Agent in the case, confirming Brian Laundrie was still a person of interest. He added, “Anyone with information concerning Mr. Laundrie’s role in this matter” or where he could be should come forward to the FBI.

Dog the Bounty Hunter stepped in to find Brian Laundrie as the FBI seized evidence from his home

Their silence on the matter didn’t help Brian Laundrie’s parents when it came to media interest in the family. Journalists constantly watched their home, with Christopher and Roberta refusing to open the door. That didn’t stop investigators from serving a search warrant and seizing Brian’s Mustang and a hard drive believed to contain “evidence” that “a felony has been committed.”

In a strange twist, it wasn’t long before Duane Chapman, better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, joined the search. When talking to Fox 13 Tampa, Chapman said he knew that Brian “knows me” and was “probably one of my fans,” so he knocked on the door, hoping Brian would show his face when he knew Chapman was involved.

Gabby Petito’s family was seen with tribute tattoos as they prepared to bury their daughter

The first time Gabby Petito’s family was seen since investigators found the body was huge. As well as her parents, Joe and Nichole, the pair also had her step-parents, Tara and Jim, who were all grieving. The youngster was known for her tattoos, with the four getting their own “Let It Be” and a small triangle with flowers.

The moment came following reports that the remains belonged to Gabby, with the families holding a private funeral for their daughter on September 26, 2021. Joe Petitio spoke about his daughter, asking people to be “inspired” by Gabby instead of sad about how she lost her life so tragically and at such a young age.

Cassie Laundrie dominated the headlines as she spoke while her parents remained silent

For weeks, Brian Laundrie’s parents had been silent about the investigation apart from their statement at the beginning of the search when they wished Gabby Petito would be found safe. The same couldn’t be said for his sister, Cassie. On October 5, 2021, she appeared once more on ‘Good Morning America,’ urging Brian to turn himself in.

Cassie stated the family was in a “horrible mess” that only Brian could change as she had no idea where Gabby could be. As well as wishing Brian “had come to me,” Cassie added he didn’t “know what to think.” She just “[wanted] answers,” telling the world she didn't understand why her family was refusing to speak.

An autopsy report revealed Gabby Petito’s cause of passing but withheld several facts

Initially, investigators didn’t know how Gabby Petitio lost her life. Still, on September 21, 2021 - two days after her body was found - they announced the remains belonged to Gabby and that someone had strangled the 22-year-old. By October, coroner Brent Blue started to paint more of a picture. However, due to Wyoming state law, they couldn’t reveal much.

Brent Blue stated that he couldn’t say if an object had been used to end her life or not but added that Gabby’s remains had been outside for somewhere between three to four weeks before she was discovered. Another rumor that had been floating around was how Gabby was pregnant, but the autopsy revealed this wasn’t the case.

Brian Laundrie’s remains were found in an area searched several weeks before

The chilling case of Gabby Petitio continued to get stranger, especially when officers confirmed they had found Brian Laundrie. Unfortunately, he, too, had lost his life. Apparently, they had been searching Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in Florida for weeks and had already searched a particular area when he was found. However, it was underwater at the time.

It wasn’t until the area dried out that Brian’s remains were found, with the FBI confirming the parietal remains were his the following day, on October 21, 2021. That wasn’t all. Searching with Brian’s parents revealed that the 23-year-old was found alongside a backpack, a notebook, a white bag, and another unspecified item, according to official statements.

A lawyer for Brian Laundrie’s family spoke to the public about the grieving parents

Attorney Steve Bertolino had apparently been friends with Brian Laundrie’s parents, Christopher and Roberta, for 25 years when he agreed to represent the family. He quickly became the one to speak on behalf of the pair, telling People magazine that Brian’s parents were grieving following the news their son was gone. That was just the beginning.

Apparently, Christopher and Roberta hadn’t seen their son since September 13, adding Brian was “upset” and he “was not able to be persuaded not to leave the house.” The search for Brian ultimately lasted 32 days, with Steve adding that the media attention on the family since Gabby’s disappearance made everything “more difficult” for the Laundries.

It took just days for Brian Laundrie’s family to confirm there wouldn’t be a funeral

Losing a child can be tough for any parent, with no one knowing how they will grieve until that moment comes. However, in a move that surprised plenty of people, Brian Laundrie’s parents announced they wouldn’t be holding a funeral for their son. Attorney Steve Bertolino admitted as much to People magazine a few days after Brian was found.

Steve stated that Brian would be “cremated” and “there will be no funeral service,” but that wasn’t all. The attorney added that the initial autopsy of his remains had been inconclusive, stating they had no idea how Brian lost his life. Instead, they needed “further evaluation” from an anthropologist to get the answers Brian’s parents needed.

Brian Laundrie’s remains were so bad they needed extensive testing

Being missing for a month meant a lot happened to Brian Laundrie’s body before it was discovered. In fact, there were only partial remains due to the fact he had also been outside, and the land had been submerged in water for most of that time. It wasn’t until investigators matched his teeth to dental records that Brian was identified.

Investigators also started looking at the unusual items found around Brian’s body to see if they could offer any clues into what happened, but the damage to a lot of his belongings proved that would be harder than it seemed. It wasn’t until further tests were released over a month later that the world started to get more answers.

A later autopsy revealed a gruesome scene around Brian Laundrie

The further test results were released on November 23, 2021, and showed that things were even darker for Brian Laundrie than many imagined. The document was 47 pages long and mostly contained various medical tests that were performed on the remains. However, a few pages spoke about the condition of the remains, including the animal gnaw marks.

It was reported these gnaw marks happened after Brian lost his life, with further investigation going into more details about what the 23-year-old had on him at the time. Along with a white metal ring was an unknown weapon that was believed to have been used by Brian to take his own life shortly after he went missing.

Other strange items were found close to where Brian Laundrie’s body was found

There was one thing in particular that seemed to grab so many people’s interest when it came to the things found around Brian Laundrie’s body. Apparently, there was another scene close to where the 23-year-old was found that contained nonhuman remains as well as a hat and a “handwritten half note,” according to the report.

The problem? The report didn’t state what was in the note, meaning people could only guess if it gave answers as to why Brian ended his life. Further around the park was also a dry bag that had been packed by Brian and contained a wooden box filled with a small notebook and photographs as well as a journal.

Brian Laundrie’s parents allegedly weren’t much help during the autopsy investigation

It wasn’t just an investigation into Brian Laundrie’s body that needed to be done; investigators also needed to learn more about his life before he disappeared. Apparently, they tried to talk to his parents about everything in his life, including his medical records and whether or not he took any medication - according to the report, he didn’t.

Investigators also asked if he was healthy and asked about things like his diet and exercise, his dating history, and whether or not he used any substances. While the autopsy revealed that he wasn’t under the influence when he took his own life, it noted that Brian’s parents weren’t willing to help much in their investigation.

The FBI confirmed the case was closed as Brian Laundrie was named responsible for Gabby Petito’s passing

The weeks continued to pass, but people hadn’t forgotten about Gabby Petito or the fact that no one had been named for taking her life. That moment finally came on January 21, 2022, when the FBI released they knew who was behind the crime: Brian Laudrie. Apparently, they had recovered the note found with his personal things.

Here, the FBI said Brian confessed to ending Gabby’s life back in August 2021, with Special Agent Michael Schneider stating, “All logical investigative steps have been concluded in this case.” Apparently, they had investigated every lead and hadn’t uncovered any more suspects, with authorities solely blaming Brian for taking Gabby’s life and closing the case.

Joseph and Nichole filed a lawsuit against Brian Laundrie’s parents, claiming they helped their son

Just because Gabby Petito’s family had answers about who ended their child’s life didn’t mean things were over. After all, Brian Laundrie took his own life before they got a chance to see him brought to justice, and they wanted to ensure every lead had been covered. That moment came in March 2022 when Gabby’s parents filed a lawsuit.

Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt were asking for $30,000 from Brian’s parents, Christopher and Roberta, in damages for the mental anguish they suffered from the case. That wasn’t all. Joseph and Nichole also claimed that Brian’s parents allegedly knew the 23-year-old had ended Gabby’s life and were supposedly planning to help him flee the country.

The suit also accused Brian Laundrie’s parents of ignoring the Petitos and blocking their messages

The lawsuit didn’t stop there, as Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt continued to add they believed Christopher and Roberta Laundrie had been deliberately ignoring their calls and messages as they searched for Gabby. According to the filing, Roberta had blocked Nichole’s social media profiles and phone number during the search to avoid any contact with the Petitos.

The filing continues to talk about alleged vacations with Brian to keep him as far away from the crime as possible, with People magazine reporting the parents “exhibited extreme and outrageous conduct.” The lawsuit went on to accuse Christopher and Roberta of being “atrocious” and “shocking,” leading Joseph and Nichole to escalate things to the next level.

The contents of Brian Laundrie’s note were revealed, with him claiming he ended Gabby’s life

In another turn of events within the chilling case of Gabby Petitio, the contents of Brian Laundrie’s note were released to the world by the family’s attorney, Steve Bertolino. The attorney handed the letter to People magazine in June 2022, where it was revealed that Brian admitted to ending Gabby Petito’s life in August 2021.

Here, Brian wrote, “I ended her life,” as he thought it was “what she wanted” and “merciful.” According to Brian, he now saw “all the mistakes I made,” but he “panicked” at the time. The 23-year-old wrote about being “in shock” as he knew he needed to “[take] away her pain,” knowing “I couldn’t go on without her.”

Brian Laundrie wrote about Gabby Petito begging him to end her pain from a fall

Amazingly, Brian Laundrie even went into detail about why Gabby Petito allegedly wanted him to end her life. During her autopsy, it was noted that Gabby had sustained blunt force trauma to the head, but it wasn’t the thing that ended her life. According to Brian’s letter, that happened when they were rushing back to their van.

Brian wrote it was getting dark, but Gabby slipped when they attempted to get across a stream and hit her head. What supposedly started as a “small bump on her forehead” quickly “got larger” and was teamed with other injuries. Brian states that it was all an “unexpected tragedy” as Gabby was allegedly “begging for an end to her pain.”

A judge refused to dismiss a case that claimed Brian Laundrie’s parents knew where Gabby was

It seemed as though everything was falling into Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt’s hands as they finally learned what might have happened to their daughter Gabby all those months ago. However, things didn’t add up for the couple. Their lawyer, Patrick Reilly, spoke to People magazine, where he dismissed Brian Laundrie’s alleged tale of what happened as “nonsense.”

His family was also now facing a new lawsuit, with Christopher and Roberta Laundrie filing to have the lawsuit dismissed. Unfortunately for them, a judge denied the pair’s motion on June 30, 2022 - three months after it was filed. Apparently, there wasn’t enough evidence that they didn’t know about where Gabby’s body was hidden during the investigation.

The judge added that Christopher and Roberta Laundrie were “callous and cruel

According to Brian Laundrie’s family, there was a good reason they didn’t talk about everything they knew about the case - they claim that they were never obligated to talk about any information regarding Gaby Petitio or their son. Judge Hunter Carroll agreed they were never legally required to go into more details than what they were asked.

However, things didn’t end there. The judge claimed the statement Christopher and Roberta made about hoping Gabby would be found alive was “particularly callous and cruel” if they knew the 22-year-old had already lost her life. Judge Carroll added that other aspects of the couple’s behavior warranted the lawsuit so long as Gabby’s family was willing to take it forward.

A motion in December 2022 saw a new letter come to light

It turns out that Brian Laundrie wasn’t the only one writing notes about what happened to Gabby Petito. At least, that’s what it looked like. The letter is still yet to be released to the public, but it emerged in December 2022 that Roberta Laundrie had also written a letter to her son before his passing.

According to Joseph and Nichole’s attorney, they want to use the letter in their lawsuit, stating the note talks about Roberta “[offering] to bring a shovel to help bury the body.” Attorney Patrick Reilly wrote to the legal team representing the laundries in it all, stating that it helps to build a picture around what happened in August 2021.

The letter contained some disturbing lines from Roberta Laundrie

It might be little surprise that Roberta Laundrie has a different tale to tell about the letter, stating it had nothing to do with Gabby Petitio losing her life. Instead, Brian’s mother claims that she wrote the letter months before the pair even embarked on their road trip, and it was just something for her son to read.

However, things didn’t end there. Apparently, Roberta says it’s nothing more than a “quirky” letter, even though it allegedly said “burn after reading” on the envelope. According to Roberta, everything about the letter was taken out of context, and she still claims that she had no idea Brian had ended Gabby’s life or where her body was hidden.

Roberta Laundrie claims the letter was using inside jokes and common phrases

Roberta Laundrie has continued to try and fight her corner ever since the letter emerged, telling the world that “burn after reading” was merely a reference to a book that she enjoyed reading with Bruan. Apparently, the mother wrote the note when their relationship was strained, and she wanted to rekindle a friendship with her son.

Roberta went on to add that the quotes were all from their favorite books and to show a mother’s love - not her saying she would cover up the ending of Gabby's life. Things went even further when Roberta confessed that not every phrase is in the books, but they are “common enough in our circle of friends and family.”

Brian Laundrie’s mom added the letter was given before Brian and Gabby headed on their road trip

One of the biggest things in question right now is the timing of the letter - specifically when Roberta Laundrie wrote the note and when it was given to her son. The mother claims that she penned the letter in May 2021, weeks before Brian and Gabby headed off across the country. However, the note doesn’t have a date.

Still, in court documents, Roberta claims the letter was “written so many months before.” Whatever the case, she is adamant that anything in the note “could never have been a comment on that tragic situation.”  According to Roberta, the words were “meant to convey my love and support for my son” through a “quirky” and “light-hearted” reminder.

An attorney for Gabby Petito’s family claims Roberta’s letter was written after Gabby lost her life

Brian Laundrie was found surrounded by a host of strange things, including several letters. Still, the family working for Gabby Petito’s family doesn’t believe Roberta and says it was instead her way of trying to cover up her son’s crime. Patrick Reilly argues the “content of the letter” indicates to him it was written after Gabby’s life was ended.

Patrick argues that even if she didn’t know where Gabby’s body was hidden, Roberta allegedly knew that the 22-year-old had lost her life. The attorney claims that the rest of Brian’s notebook “contained letters to his family,” indicating it wasn’t unusual for them to write to one another. Whatever the case, the trial is scheduled to begin in August 2023.

A new lawsuit focuses on a domestic dispute between Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie

The months have continued to pass since losing Gabby Petito, but things are far from over for the family. Instead, her family has been busy working on the upcoming legal trials, with new court filings claiming Brian Laundrie acted as an “emotional and mental threat” to Gabby. At least, that’s what the legal papers now say.

The filings come after body camera footage from the day Gabby and Brian were pulled over by cops on August 12, 2021, revealed there might have been more to the story than what was documented. Joseph and Nichole, Gabby’s parents, claim that new transcripts show officers didn’t act accordingly when their daughter called about an attack from Brian.

An officer is being accused of failing to protect Gabby Petito from Brian Laundrie

The new lawsuit contains multiple defendants and has named Officer Eric Pratt as one, aka one of the officers who responded to the call. Now, Gabby Petito’s parents are asking for over $50 million for damages, claiming that Eric and his department failed to uphold their duties, despite the officer telling fellow officers Brian raised “red flags.”

Part of the law in Utah means that officers need to issue a citation or make an arrest in all domestic disputes. However, Eric later admitted he thought that Brian was the one posing as a threat to Gabby and didn’t take him into custody or offer a warning. Sadly, this information only came out in a later interview.

The officer allegedly thought Brian Laundrie was behaving strangely

Things took another turn in the investigation when Officer Eric Pratt went through an independent review of what happened when he arrived at the scene with Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie. Apparently, the transcript with a Price police captain says Eric thought Brian was an “emotional threat to her” when he arrived on the scene and assessed the situation.

Gabby’s parents have since shared the transcripts in their lawsuit, stating it allegedly shows how the department didn’t act on their instincts or follow protocols when dealing with their daughter. The filing claims that Eric believed Brian “looked unsavory” and was “a weird, not healthy dude.” If it’s true, it could have spelled a different story for Gabby.

Bodycam footage showed Gabby Petito was visibly shaken and hurt

Body camera footage of the incident has also come to light, which seems to show that Gabby Petito is visibly shaken by what has happened with Brian Laundrie. According to the footage, Gabby tells the officers that Briand had grabbed her face during an argument while making gestures toward her neck before finally letting her go.

A picture later showed bruising to her face, with Gabby’s family believing they were caused by Bran. Even after the call to 911 and the body cam footage, the lawsuit claims that Eric never viewed Brian as a suspect. The officer was told Gabby had hit Brian, but his later interview allegedly claims he didn’t believe the tale.

Brian Laundrie was ultimately taken to safety, with officers believing Gabby Petito was the aggressor

Officer Eric Pratt continued to state he believed Gabby Petito’s version of events in that she was the one who was hurt, and Brian Laundrie was the one to blame. Despite the evidence and their alleged feelings, it’s said Eric and his partner decided not to make an arrest and to split the couple up for the night instead.

Gabby was left to sleep in their camper for the night while Brian was driven to a local motel, with Gabby being named as the aggressor in the situation. The decision came after Gabby reportedly admitted to slapping Brian, which caused him to put his hands on her face, leading to the new lawsuit from her family.

The two lawsuits are still ongoing, but nothing will see Gabby Petito's memory fade

Gabby Petito's family are no strangers to the courtroom, having already won a civil suit against Brian Laundrie's parents. The moment came in late 2022 when they were awarded $3 million for her wrongful passing, the cost of the funeral, and the emotional and mental effects of losing their daughter so tragically. Still, things aren't over.

The case against Christopher and Roberta, accusing them of knowing where Gabby was hidden, and the new case against the police department are still ongoing. However, nothing will see Gabby's memory fade. Her family now lives their lives trying to find the hope she once shared and making sure no one ever forgets about her passion for life.