Kayla Mueller was confirmed dead by her family and the White House. She was in Turkey providing aid for dislocated Syrian refugees, a calling she felt was from God.
Kayla Mueller was captured by ISIS in August of 2013, and her family in the United States recently issued a statement confirming her death.
The 26-year-old was an aid worker in Turkey before the militant group kidnapped her. Last Friday, the militant group said that the Jordanian airstrikes killed the US hostage. Though Jordanian officials denied the claim, the White House and Mueller's own family issued statements confirming her death.
Mueller helped many Syrian refugees who fled to Turkey. In an interview that Mueller conducted back in 2013 with her hometown paper, she said "I find God in the suffering eyes reflected in mine, if this is how You are revealed to me, this is how I will forever seek You." Thousands of Syrians fled from ISIS into Turkey, and Mueller felt drawn to the war-torn people. The number of Syrian refugees is now in the millions.
Though the sources remain anonymous, it was confirmed that information given to the Mueller family regarding their daughter was valid. "Our hearts are breaking for our only daughter, but we will continue on in peace, dignity, and love for her," said the family.
The family also shared a note that their daughter wrote for them while she was held captive. Mueller's cell mates who were released gave the note to her parents by her request.
"Everyone, If you are receiving this letter it means I am still detained but my cell mates (starting from 11/2/2014) have been released. I have asked them to contact you + send you this letter. It's hard to know what to say. Please know that I am in a safe location, completely unharmed + healthy (put on weight in fact); I have been treated w/ the utmost respect + kindness," begins the letter.
Mueller explained the lack of time she had in writing the letter, and expressed sincere apology for putting her family through any suffering. "If you could say I have "suffered' at all throughout this whole experience it is only in knowing how much suffering I have put you all through; I will never ask you to forgive me as I do not deserve forgiveness."
"I have come to a place in experience where, in every sense of the word, I have surrendered myself to our creator b/c literally there was no else"¦.," she wrote. Through God and the prayer of her family, Muller said she "felt tenderly cradled in freefall."
"I pray each each day that if nothing else, you have felt a certain closeness + surrender to God as well + have formed a bond of love + support amongst one another"¦"
Mueller then urged her parents to refrain from negotiating her rescue, but instead seek any other option. "The thought of your pain is the source of my own, simultaneously the hope of our reunion is the source of my strength. Please be patient, give your pain to God. I know you would want me to remain strong. That is exactly what I am doing. Do not fear for me, continue to pray as will I + by God's will we will be together soon."
President Obama released a statement expressing his sorrow for the loss of the Mueller family. "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," said the President.
