Gabby Petito’s family sends a heartbreaking message to all parents

What did you miss?

Gabby Petito’s family have shared a heartbreaking message following their experience when the travel vlogger disappeared and was later found murdered in 2021.

The social media influencer went missing shortly after she embarked on a four-month vanlife journey with fiancé Brian Laundrie on July 2, 2021. ITVX documentary The Disappearance of Gabby Petito maps the investigation into the whereabouts of the 22-year-old American at that time. .

Petito’s parents and stepmother appear in the three-part docuseries to share their experiences at the time of the investigation. And they urged other parents to make sure they document as much as possible with their children because it’s all they have left of their daughter now.

What, how and why?

In the documentary, the travel vlogger’s father Joe Petito and her stepmother Tara spoke candidly about their lives since her disappearance and death. Petito’s father explained that he often looks back at old videos of his daughter and advised fellow parents to make sure they take as many as possible.

“I actually go back to her TikTok or YouTube, videos that people send me where they cut out a certain person, just to listen to her and hear her voice,” he explained.

“I have my personal videos and stuff, and I listen to them. It’s all I have right now, and I’ll tell all the parents with kids, make as many videos as you can.”

Tara agreed with his sentiment and added to his emotional advice, saying, “Take those pictures, take those selfies with your kids, because that’s what we have. We have our memories, but photos somehow another way for those memories to come back.”

Petito and Laundrie kicked off their road trip across America on July 2, 2021, and Petito shared insight into their travels via YouTube and Instagram. On August 26, 2021, she appeared to share her last Instagram post, with her mother Nicole Schmidt raising concerns about her whereabouts when she sent text messages that were out of character and stopped her social media activities altogether.

Petito was reported missing on September 11. Laundrie had returned to Florida alone at the time in the van they had been riding in together, and chose not to cooperate with police. On September 19, Petito’s body was found in Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming. She had been strangled and suffered blunt force trauma to her head and neck.

Laundrie, who had gone missing two days before Petito’s body was discovered, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on October 20. Police found a note in which he confessed to killing Petito during their trip.

What else happened in The Disappearance of Gabby Petito?

The documentary explored the various stages of the investigation into Petito’s disappearance, including the enormous interest the case attracted online and the lengths internet sleuths went to find out what happened to her.

Petito’s family also helped share insight into the case and their experiences at the time, and they shared several emotional, vulnerable moments on screen. During one of those conversations, Petito’s mother burst into tears as she talked about the last time she saw her daughter.

“Looking back, I remember Gabby was all packed up and ready to go,” Schmidt said. “And I remember going into the driveway… it was this hug, a long hug that she gave me, and it was like she was saying goodbye.”

The Disappearance of Gabby Petito is now available on ITVX.

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