Gabby Petito's Family Asks World To Light Candles On Death Anniversary

VERO BEACH, FL — Slain Long Islander Gabby Petito touched the world with the gripping story of her disappearance and a frantic search that turned to tragedy when she was found strangled to death in September 2021.

Since then, her family and friends have been on a non-stop mission and have set up a foundation in her name to help others escape abusive relationships. Now, they hope to spread the word so that she and other domestic violence victims can be recognized by a candle on the anniversary of her death Aug. 27.

After Petito's death, her father, Joseph, posted a photo of her standing in front of a mural of rainbow angel wings, and he captioned it with the words, "she touched the world," referring to the international news media attention to his daughter's case.

His photo quickly went viral.

In a Twitter post, her stepmother, Tara Petito, asked followers to honor "Gabby and all domestic violence victims," asking them to "please light up the night on the one-year anniversary" of her death on Aug. 27, using the hashtags, "#togtherwecan, #domesticviolenceawareness, #gabbypetito, and #thereishelpifneeded."

Her father, Joseph Petito, who now lives in Vero Beach, Florida, tweeted the post, asking that everyone honor his daughter and other victims around the world. He added, "We are asking you to light up the night for those who can’t be here."

He ended with, "#togetherwecan end the cycle,” and added the hashtag, #domesticviolenceawareness.

Petito, a 22-year-old Blue Point vlogger, disappeared in August 2021 while on a cross-country "Van Life" trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, setting off a massive search that spanned several states and involved multiple levels of law enforcement. Laundrie returned to his parents' home in Florida in her van on Sept. 1. Petito was found strangled to death near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on Sept. 19.

Investigators later determined Laundrie shot himself in the head after his remains were found months later in a Florida swamp. He had a note in which he claimed responsibility for her death. In his writing, Laundrie said Petito fell and was in so much pain afterward that he strangled her, in what he described as a mercy killing.

News of Gabby's death shook the world.

One woman from the U.K. exclaimed in a Facebook post her sadness, calling Gabby "the world's daughter," and sent love from Oxford, England.

A grassroots effort was launched to recognize Gabby Petito after the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed she was dead, but that soon launched into a global effort with calls for everyone across the world to light luminaries in their driveways that Friday night.
Residents in Petito's hometown of Blue Point placed luminaries in their driveways, and in Selden, dozens of supporters turned out to honor her in a small pocket park next to The Home Depot where her father, Joseph, worked.

It was a somber service, with not many a dry eye as luminaries were released into the sky.

At the time, Valerie Pellegrino, who attended with her family, told Patch that she was unsure if it was Petito's free spirit that touched everyone. She was sure that a similar death was not going to be the last time, adding, "There's something special about Gabby."

Petito was memorialized on that Sunday, Sept. 26 in Holbrook with estimated thousands in attendance.

Some mourners wore T-shirts with a likeness of Petito wearing her newly-found angel wings.

Joseph Petito reminded those in attendance to be inspired by Gabby's life.

Lisa DiMiceli and her wife, Ashleigh, told Patch they were paying their respects because they met Petito, who used to serve them at Nole in Patchogue.

“She was always sweet,” Lisa said, adding, “and we were always taking extra napkins, and she would always laugh and, like, wink at us and tell us, ‘Go ahead, and take the napkins.’”

The couple noted that Petito’s story has also captured people’s attention from as far away as Ashleigh’s hometown in Dublin, Ireland.

“People are grieving for this young woman all over the world,” Lisa said. “It’s really heartbreaking, actually.”

“It’s worldwide,” Ashleigh said.

The couple was attracted to her "lightness," Lisa said.

“She was always a bright light,” she added.

Related Stories:

• Gabby Petito Lifetime Movie Trailer Released
• New Lifetime Film About Gabby Petito Set To Debut In October
• Gabby Petito's Family Plans To File $50M Lawsuit Against Police: Court
• Suit Claims Laundries Knew Remains Location During Vacation: Report
• Gabby Petito's Birthday Remembered By Domestic Violence Donations
• Gabby Petito's Family Highlight Domestic Violence On Valentine's
• 'No Doubt' Brian Laundrie Killed Gabby Petito: Family Attorney
• Gabby Petito's Family's Poignant Messages Of Hope On Christmas
• Be Inspired': Gabby Petito's Dad At Long Island Memorial Service
• 'Not Just Gabby Petito' Case Deserves Media Attention: Dad