Gabby Petito’s father announced on Saturday that he is starting a foundation named after his slain ‘van lifer’ daughter that will help families who are trying to locate their missing children.
The announcement by Joseph Petito comes as well-wishers gathered in the hometown of Petito’s boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, to hold a candlelight vigil for the woman and aspiring social media influencer whose disappearance has captivated the nation for weeks.
Petito’s body was found last Sunday at Grand Teton National Park - weeks after she was reported missing. Law enforcement officials want to speak to her boyfriend, Laundrie, who was last to see her alive.
Laundrie, who is considered a person of interest, has been missing.
Gabby Petito’s father announced on Saturday that he is starting a foundation named after his slain ‘van lifer’ daughter that will help families who are trying to locate their missing children
The announcement comes as well-wishers gathered in the hometown of Petito’s boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, to hold a candlelight vigil for the woman and aspiring social media influencer whose disappearance has captivated the nation for weeks. Mourners are seen above in North Port, Florida, on Saturday
Well-wishers hold candles and pause to remember Petito, the 22-year-old 'van life' woman whose body was found last Sunday in Wyoming
The candleight vigil in North Port, Florida was held just a few miles from Carlton Reserve, where authorities are intensively searching for Laundrie, who has been missing since September 17
Mourners place balloons and flowers at the site of the vigil in North Port, Florida, on Saturday
Other well-wishers brought teddy bears and cards as a gesture of mourning in North Port, Florida, on Saturday
Petito (right), 22, was reported missing on September 11, 2021, after traveling with her boyfriend, Laundrie (left), around the country in a van and never returned home
As mourners released butterflies and held a moment of silence for Petito, search teams were working just a few miles away combing through alligator-infested swamps of Carlton Reserve while trying to locate Laundrie.
The butterfly has symbolic value since Petito’s final social media post shows her standing in front of a butterfly mural in Utah.
'When something like this happens, it affects everybody. It doesn’t just affect one person or a family, because everybody knows everybody,' Arianna Ortiz, who attended the vigil in North Port, Florida, on Saturday, told WFLA-TV.
Other locals at the vigil want Laundrie to come forward and tell authorities what he knows.
'I wish just wish he would do the right thing and tell us what happened and face the facts and bring closure to most of all her family and this community that is mourning her loss,' said Chrystal Ortiz.
The planned foundation and the vigil in North Port, Florida came a day before a visitation memorial will be held on Long Island.
Joseph Petito (seen above in North Port, Florida, on September 16) announced the creation of the Gabby Petito Foundation
Petito is seen above in an August 25 photo - one of the last to be posted on her Instagram account before she disappeared
The public is invited to pay their respects to the 22-year-old Petito at Moloney’s Funeral Home in the hamlet of Holbrook, New York, in Suffolk County, Long Island.
Petito’s funeral is scheduled for Monday.
Joseph Petito, Gabby’s father, announced the creation of the Gabby Petito Foundation on social media on Saturday.
'No one should have to find their child on their own,' the bereaved father wrote.
'We are creating this foundation to give resources and guidance on bringing their children home.
'We are looking to help people in similar situations as Gabby.'
The social media post ended with the hashtag #gabbypetito and a link to the foundation.
The Long Island funeral home that will host a public visitation memorial for Petito on Sunday released a touching video tribute featuring a montage of personal and family photos.
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, Laundrie, 23, 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.'
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.
'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.'
'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.'
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.
Petito was remembered as a young woman who had a great love of the outdoors (above)
Tributes poured in from all over the United States and Canada as well-wishers took to social media to express their shock and sadness over her death
A candlelight vigil was held in her hometown of Blue Point, New York on Friday
Her family has asked that in lieu of flowers that mourners make a donation to a nonprofit
Petito is seen in the above undated file photo released by Moloney Funeral Home on Saturday
The Petito case captivated the nation after she posted videos and images on social media of her 'van life' trip with her boyfriend
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!!'
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
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.'
