The Long Island funeral home that will host a public visitation memorial for Gabby Petito on Sunday released a touching video tribute featuring a montage of personal and family photos.
The body of the 22-year-old slain ‘van lifer,’ who was found in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming last Sunday, is scheduled to be cremated before Sunday’s service in Holbrook, a small hamlet in Suffolk County. Her funeral is scheduled for Monday.
Meanwhile, tributes are pouring in nationwide as mourners flood Facebook with condolences to the young woman’s family. ‘Gabby Petito has become America’s child,’ one well-wisher said.
Moloney’s Funeral Home posted the montage on its web site on Saturday. It shows young Gabby as a happy, smiling girl who enjoyed playing outdoors and spending time with her family and its pet dog.
The photos also show her love of nature and the outdoors. Gabby is photographed at some of America’s most popular outdoor destinations including Zion National Park in Utah.
In July, Petito and her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, 23, of North Port, Florida, set out from her family’s Long Island home on a cross-country ‘van life’ trip that they began to document on social media platforms.
Gabby Petito is seen in this undated file photo released by Moloney's Funeral Home in Holbrook, New York
Petito is seen above with a dog while walking on the beach in this undated file photo
Young Gabby is seen above in these undated file photos. Her family remembered her as a warm, loving young woman
Young Gabby is seen above in the arms of her father, Joseph Petito, in this undated file photo
Gabby Petito is seen above appearing to meditate along the beach in this undated file photo
The couple documented online their trip in a white Ford Transit van converted into a camper, but they got into a physical altercation on August 12 in Moab, Utah, that led to a police stop for a possible domestic violence case.
Ultimately, police there decided to separate the quarreling couple for the night.
But no charges were filed, and no serious injuries were reported.
Petito was reported missing on September 11 by her parents after she did not respond to calls and texts for several days while the couple visited parks in the West.
A bag of preparations and ribbons were dropped off at Moloney's Funeral Home in Holbrook, New York on Saturday - two days before a visitation memorial for Petito which will be open to the public
The visitation memorial will take place on Sunday while Petito's funeral will be held on Monday
Her body was discovered on Sunday in the vicinity of a remote, undeveloped campground along the border of Grand Teton National Park in northwestern Wyoming.
Laundrie, who has gone missing, is believed to have returned to his Florida home without Petito on September 1. He has been declared a ‘person of interest’ since he was the last to see her alive.
In Florida, searchers have been scouring the forbidding wilderness preserve near his parents’ home while looking for Laundrie.
On Facebook, mourners posted their messages of condolence to the family. One commenter wrote: ‘Gabby, You are now in the arms of the..Angel's!'
One Facebook commenter wrote that Gabby was 'in a beautiful place where there is no more sadness nor sorrow'
‘You are free at last..Rest now in sweet heavenly peace!!’ wrote another well-wisher on Facebook
A Facebook user from Idaho wrote: ‘Rest In Peace beautiful girl! Fly high with the angels! Sending love & prayers to Gabby’s family & friends!’
Another Facebook user wrote: ‘To Gabby's Mom , Dad and Family and friends. My heart breaks along with yours on the loss of Gabby.'
‘I hope and pray justice will be served so she can rest in peace and you all can in time have some closure on this senseless tragedy,' wrote another Facebook user
One Facebook user wrote of Petito's family: ‘I wish I could take away some of the pain you are feeling’
One Facebook user pleaded for the public to stay away out of deference to the grieving family. ‘Out of respect for the family, I hope strangers keep their distance,’ a concerned Facebook user wrote
Another Facebook commenter wrote: ‘I have never met Gabby, but how could I not be affected by her passing as is all of America.'
One well-wisher commented: ‘So much sorrow, such a beautiful soul, may God's arms comfort your pain and heartache at this time.’
A Canadian Facebook user wrote: ‘My deepest condolences to the Petito and Schmidt families.'
The search began last week after Laundrie told his parents he was going there, several days after returning alone from his trip out west with Petito.
Laundrie's parents said he left their home on September 14 - but only reported him missing three days later. FBI and local police are still searching for him in Carlton Reserve, an alligator-infested reserve five miles from his home.
His silver Ford Mustang was also found abandoned near the Carlton Reserve with a note requesting it be towed away.
The vigils were held on Friday, ahead of Petito's funeral and cremation services on Monday
Residents put up a heart-shaped memorial. Candles were handed out and $20 donations were collected for Petito's family
Posters and tributes were set up across town. A 'Fly High Gabby' poster was put up on a tree
One resident set up a candle outside outside her driveway to show solidarity for their late neighbor
Another Blue Point neighbor helped adjust candles at one of the vigil sites
Residents also put together cards and notes to display in tribute of their late neighbor
Other residents set put up flowers to display at one of the sites besides a display that read 'Wings of An Angel Gabby'
The memorial sites showed off candles, cards, posters, stuffed animals and flowers dedicated to the late Peitio
The site stands by a large display that reads, 'Gabby Petito, Forever in our hearts'
'Shine a light for Gabby' event took place in her hometown of Blue Point, pictured, and in West Islip
'These guys, our law enforcement partners are motivated and they are hungry to find Brian Laundrie,' North Port Police commander Joe Fussell, who is helping to coordinate the search, said Wednesday.
'It's rough out there, it's hot, it's wet. We are trying to cover every acre in this reserve.'
On Wednesday there was a flurry of activity as divers were brought to the site, but it later emerged that there was no connection to the case.
The team, made up of about 10 divers, was requested by North Port Police on Wednesday morning, said Sarasota County Sheriff's office spokesperson Kaitlyn Perez.
'These divers are specifically trained and very talented in low visibility bodies of water,' Perez said.
'They dive down where you and I can't see anything at all. They utilize technology and other special equipment to help them get down deep into really deep bodies of water, so they're out there right now to recover whatever it is that they might find.'
The search has cost $1.2million so far as it enters its sixth day.
Teton County Coroner Brent Blue classified Petito’s death as a homicide - meaning her death was caused by another person - but did not disclose how she was killed pending further autopsy results.
On Facebook, mourners posted their messages of condolence to the family.
One commenter wrote: ‘Gabby, You are now in the arms of the..Angel's!
‘In a beautiful place where there is no more sadness nor sorrow.
‘You are free at last..Rest now in sweet heavenly peace!!’
A Facebook user from Idaho wrote: ‘Rest In Peace beautiful girl! Fly high with the angels! Sending love & prayers to Gabby’s family & friends!’
Another Facebook user wrote: ‘To Gabby's Mom , Dad and Family and friends. My heart breaks along with yours on the loss of Gabby.
‘I hope and pray justice will be served so she can rest in peace and you all can in time have some closure on this senseless tragedy.
‘I wish I could take away some of the pain you are feeling.’
Gabby Petito's stepfather James Schmidt has visited the exact spot where she was killed, and created a stone cross. He laid a floral tribute
James Schmidt, Gabby Petito's stepfather, traveled to Wyoming on September 14 to help the search for the 22-year-old. Four days later her body was found
A memorial of stones arranged in a cross pattern was spotted Monday evening at the Spread Creek Dispersed Campsite east of the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. On Wednesday Petito's stepfather made a similar tribute at the exact spot where her body was found
One Facebook user pleaded for the public to stay away out of deference to the grieving family.
‘Out of respect for the family, I hope strangers keep their distance,’ a concerned Facebook user wrote.
‘It's going to be hard enough with every media outlet going be there.
‘They don't need complete strangers too...Sending healing prayers and thoughts to the family.’
Another Facebook commenter wrote: ‘I have never met Gabby, but how could I not be affected by her passing as is all of America.
‘Such a tragedy to lose a child. I can only imagine what pain your family and friends are going through.’
Gabby Petito, 22, is pictured with her boyfriend Brian Laundrie, 23, in a YouTube video made to document their 'van life' road trip. Petito's body was found on Sunday and Laundrie has disappeared
Petito and Laundrie are seen on July 4 in Utah. They had set out two days previously on a road trip, planning to document their journey on social media
The pair had been travelling on a cross-country trip together since July 2, when they left New York. Petito was reported missing on September 11
One well-wisher commented: ‘So much sorrow, such a beautiful soul, may God's arms comfort your pain and heartache at this time.’
A Canadian Facebook user wrote: ‘My deepest condolences to the Petito and Schmidt families.
‘We in Canada feel your pain on the loss of this beautiful young lady. She has touched so many hearts.’
One Facebook user wrote: ‘Words seem so feeble in moments like these.
‘Life is so precious, and death such a thief. ... Love is a bond that death cannot part.’
Gabby's hometown in Long Island paid a somber tribute to her on Saturday.
The 'Light the Night for Gabby Petito' event took place in Blue Point and West Islip as neighbors lit candles throughout the towns in memory of Petito.
Hundreds of candles had been given out throughout Blue Point as organizers also collected $20 donations to deliver to Petito's family, ABC 7 reports.
The community also decorated thousands of trees with blue ribbons to honor the 2017 Bayport-Blue Point High School graduate.
Dorothy Johnson, of Blue Point, told News 12, 'For me it's important just to acknowledge Gabby, to support the family throughout the whole community, not only our community but throughout Long Island. Many people are lighting a candle.'
Jennifer Horton, of Blue Point, also put candles outside her driveway to honor Petito.
'When the community loses one, we all do," says Horton. "So just remember the great life she had. Losing her so young and just to really celebrate her life.'
Search teams are pictured on Wednesday heading into the Carlton Reserve in Florida
