ROCKVILLE, Md. 鈥斅犅燗fter watching his daughter鈥檚 accused killer ordered held without bond, Mark Wallen and his wife walked out of the district courthouse in Montgomery County and were met by a group of reporters.
Before addressing the anguish of losing 31-year-old Laura Wallen, whose body was discovered in a shallow grave on Wednesday, Wallen said he wanted to mention 鈥渢he beauty and kindness of humanity and all the wonderful people who have lifted us up.鈥�
Wallen thanked the Montgomery County Police, his faith community and businesses who contributed to a reward for information in Laura Wallen鈥檚 case.
And then he thanked a former student of Wallen鈥檚, Lindsay Murray. Murray, now a freshman at Towson University, made a YouTube tribute video to Laura Wallen, a teacher loved by students for her warmth and humor.
Mark Wallen called the video 鈥渢he sweetest tribute to my daughter that any parent could hope for.鈥�
The video, entitled 鈥淢y Teacher Is Missing鈥� was made in an attempt to help bring Laura Wallen home at a time when she was reported missing. The video was posted on Monday, Sept. 11. Wallen鈥檚 body was discovered Sept. 13.
In the video, a tearful Murray, seated in her dorm room at Towson, looks into the camera and says: 鈥淪omething has really close to me has happened to me, and as you can see,鈥� her voice breaking, 鈥淚 really can鈥檛 talk about it. So I figured I would show you guys in the one way I know how.鈥�
The video then includes headlines from local news stations explaining that Laura Wallen, a Wilde Lake High School teacher, had gone missing.
In the video, former and current students at Wilde Lake share memories of Wallen, whose impact is obvious as teenagers tell of how she noticed their moods, met their needs and inspired them to look to their futures.
Murray, sometimes smiling through tears, sometimes breaking down into sobs, says 鈥淚 instantly fell in love with her bubbly personality, her welcoming smile. She鈥檚 the kind of teacher that really genuinely cares about her students, and we all care about her.鈥�
The video cuts to a number of students, one by one explaining the impact Wallen has had on their lives.
One current student, Dashae Coley-Epps, explains she never had Ms. Wallen as a teacher, but found Wallen to be someone she could talk to. 鈥淵ou always knew when I was upset about something.鈥�
Coley-Epps said that Wallen would ask her how she was doing 鈥� how she was really doing, instinctively knowing when to give a hug. Coley-Epps, stopping to wipe tears from behind her glasses, adds, 鈥淵ou鈥檇 always pull me into a really tight hug 鈥� which I could use right now.鈥� The teenager continues, her eyes brimming with tears: “You really do make a difference in people鈥檚 lives.鈥�
Natalie Varela, like Murray now in college and taping her tribute from her dorm room, said that Ms. Wallen was an inspiration to her, pushing her academically.
鈥淗ands down, I can say I wouldn鈥檛 be here if it wasn鈥檛 for her love and support during those years,” she says in the video.
Lauryn Bowes, now studying at Julliard, said Wallen was like a second mother to her students. While the tribute video was made while Wallen was missing and presumed still alive, Bowes鈥� statements are especially wrenching.鈥� The community鈥檚 been rocked, because she鈥檚 so important and special and not like any person I鈥檝e ever met before. When you lose somebody, you can鈥檛 seem to feel comfort from anyone unless it鈥檚 that person that鈥檚 gone. And that鈥檚 something I鈥檝e been feeling.鈥�
At the end of the video, Murray recalls: 鈥淲e called her Ballin鈥橶allen because she was so cool and funny. We鈥檙e gonna find her and we鈥檙e gonna bring her home.鈥�
Contacted Friday, after police released more details in the case, Murray described the loss of Wallen in an email to 草莓传媒: 鈥淚t has been very brutal and I have been a wreck.鈥� But Murray added, 鈥淚 love and miss her so much it hurts, however I know she will be looking down and watching over all of us now. I love you Ms. Wallen, forever and always!鈥�
