Cole Puffinburger found safe!!

All throughout the days he was missing, I couldn't help but to wonder how a parent could even function after a child is kidnapped. And things spiraled in such a bizarre fashion, so quickly: no Amber Alert initially, because there was no description of a vehicle or of the suspects. Then, the police arrested Cole's grandfather as a "person of interest" in the case...allegedly, he stole millions from the Mexican mob. I've heard that it was through methamphetamine sales, money laundering, and both, so I'm not certain, really. Then the Amber Alert was called off, just as police said they were looking for two more people of interest...and suddenly, little Cole was found wandering near Oakey and 17th, a rather unfriendly area of Vegas, just off-Strip. Apparently unharmed, apparently alert. I'm overjoyed that he's home, and safe, though there's no way to know yet the emotional and mental traumas he carries.

But, back to the thoughts that kept coming to me: Cole was abducted at 07h15 Wednesday morning. It was hours before an Amber Alert was activated...how his parents must have felt, just helpless. And how could they sleep that night, unaware of their son's whereabouts, if he was in pain, or terrified, or even alive? Then, even if they called in to work for those first few days, a parent must return at some point; how can they even keep their minds on the tasks at hand? I'll be honest, I know that you press forward simply because there's no choice. Staying home and fretting doesn't help, and being at work at least provides a paycheck. I was off work after Gabriel's death for a week, but that was more for physical reasons and blood monitoring than anything else. I started my first day of 3rd year a few days after he died, and my husband Tannah returned to work that same Monday. And I don't know, maybe a child's death is different than a child's abduction, because at least in death, it's final and there's nothing at all that can be done. You just make funeral arrangements and put the toys and clothes away, and that's it. With an abducted child, a parent must hold on to that chance, and...that's got to be unspeakably difficult.

Anyway.

I'm glad Cole's home.