The Angel Named Dawnyelle

The signature page on my work email has a quote from a friend of mine said, a quote I truly believe: “There are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason.”

One day, as I was looking through the gallery of pictures, I came across a beautiful little angel who seemed to be looking back at me. I just stared at her. Her cherub face, her blonde curls, her precious smile, she represented to me the innocence of Jonestown. I was so intrigued that I began to ask questions. Who was she? What was her name? Who were her parents?

I knew the place to go to get these questions answered was the chat room associated with this site. I was absolutely delighted that Tim Carter and Vicki Perry answered all of my questions. My angel had a name: Dawnyelle Fitch. She had parents in Jonestown. She had a brother. She had several aunts and a couple of uncles and two cousins and a grandmother. She was loved.

When my mind drifts into thoughts of Jonestown, Dawnyelle is always there. I envision her running and playing with the other children, being a part of the natural beauty that surrounded her.

I was surfing YouTube a short while ago and came across a stream of video on Jonestown that I had not seen before. Midway through the video was some footage of the children, walking toward the camera, in a single file line. I spotted Dawnyelle coming toward the camera, even saying out loud “There she is!” Just as she walked into the center of the frame, the video stopped. It just stopped. The most incredible feeling of calm and warmth came over me. I looked at her, and she looked at me. And it was if she was telling me that she was OK, that she was happy, and to thank me for thinking of her. Then, the video started again. The emotion filled in me now as I type this is as strong as it was the day it happened.

This experience has also taught me a good lesson. And it can be summed up in only two words: Never forget.

If I only suspected it in the past, I know it for a fact now: The angels who walk this earth become angels who walk in heaven.

Thanks for thinking of me, Dawnyelle.

(Laurie Davis works in television in Texas. Her other article in the jonestown report is How I Got to Jonestown, By Way of Uruguay. She can be reached at twistoff61805@yahoo.com.)