Tears in Boone
by Kellen Moore
With heavy hearts, dozens of people packed onto the sidewalk outside Watsonatta Western World on Friday evening to support one another and the family of Dara Lee Watson.
From high school classmates to extended family to complete strangers, each person said they felt a connection to the 30-year-old woman who was last seen Feb. 6 leaving the King Street store.
The vigil coincided with another held in Mount Pleasant, S.C., both just hours after law enforcement suspended the search for Watson after finding a body in the woods near where her vehicle burned last week.
Authorities confirmed Saturday afternoon that the body was Watson.
“It is in times of pain and tragedy that the Boone community gets to come together,” said Reggie Hunt, pastor of Cornerstone Summit Church in Boone.
He communicated words of thanks from Dara's family, who couldn't be there Friday, and asked for continued prayers and time for the family to cope.
Those who attended raised candles in unity Friday as they sang “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art.”
The crowd lingered after the brief vigil to write messages of support and love to Dara's family.
Mandy Southern, a high school friend of Dara who organized the vigil, said some of her best memories of Dara were hanging out at her parents' store, doing homework after school.
She and Dara got their first manicures together for prom and acted like kids when they visited Tweetsie Railroad as high school seniors. Dara later worked at the attraction as assistant controller for three years.
Southern said she and Dara were out of touch for several years before they ran into each other again in the grocery store.
The two last spoke Jan. 8 when Dara called to wish Southern a happy birthday and share the news of her engagement to David Hedrick the night before.
“I think she did a good job of being an inspiration for us all and not taking for granted the life that she had,” Southern said.
Amanda Greene of Boone, whose brother is the husband of Dara's sister, Brooke Wolfe, was witness to that vivacious life just two weeks ago.
“She just threw Brooke a baby shower, the most beautiful baby shower,” Greene said. “She loved her sister very much. She was very excited about her new nephew.”
Brooke and her husband, Terry Wolfe, welcomed the new baby into the world Wednesday.
Greene said she's still struggling to understand what happened to the woman she just saw but said it was wonderful to see everybody coming together.
Several who attended the vigil Friday said they didn't know Dara very well personally, but they knew her parents, Darrel and Ellen, through the store.
Nearly all said they had been praying for the Watsons, and will continue to with each day that passes.
“She has been a blessing to us, and her family has been a blessing to the town of Boone,” Mayor Loretta Clawson said.
From high school classmates to extended family to complete strangers, each person said they felt a connection to the 30-year-old woman who was last seen Feb. 6 leaving the King Street store.
The vigil coincided with another held in Mount Pleasant, S.C., both just hours after law enforcement suspended the search for Watson after finding a body in the woods near where her vehicle burned last week.
Authorities confirmed Saturday afternoon that the body was Watson.
“It is in times of pain and tragedy that the Boone community gets to come together,” said Reggie Hunt, pastor of Cornerstone Summit Church in Boone.
He communicated words of thanks from Dara's family, who couldn't be there Friday, and asked for continued prayers and time for the family to cope.
Those who attended raised candles in unity Friday as they sang “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art.”
The crowd lingered after the brief vigil to write messages of support and love to Dara's family.
Mandy Southern, a high school friend of Dara who organized the vigil, said some of her best memories of Dara were hanging out at her parents' store, doing homework after school.
She and Dara got their first manicures together for prom and acted like kids when they visited Tweetsie Railroad as high school seniors. Dara later worked at the attraction as assistant controller for three years.
Southern said she and Dara were out of touch for several years before they ran into each other again in the grocery store.
The two last spoke Jan. 8 when Dara called to wish Southern a happy birthday and share the news of her engagement to David Hedrick the night before.
“I think she did a good job of being an inspiration for us all and not taking for granted the life that she had,” Southern said.
Amanda Greene of Boone, whose brother is the husband of Dara's sister, Brooke Wolfe, was witness to that vivacious life just two weeks ago.
“She just threw Brooke a baby shower, the most beautiful baby shower,” Greene said. “She loved her sister very much. She was very excited about her new nephew.”
Brooke and her husband, Terry Wolfe, welcomed the new baby into the world Wednesday.
Greene said she's still struggling to understand what happened to the woman she just saw but said it was wonderful to see everybody coming together.
Several who attended the vigil Friday said they didn't know Dara very well personally, but they knew her parents, Darrel and Ellen, through the store.
Nearly all said they had been praying for the Watsons, and will continue to with each day that passes.
“She has been a blessing to us, and her family has been a blessing to the town of Boone,” Mayor Loretta Clawson said.