"I would like to prevent this tragedy from happening to another family," Beth Holloway told Inside Edition.
Nearly 15 years have passed since the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, a high school student who vanished on a graduation trip in Aruba. And Natalee's mom Beth is still trying to share the important lessons learned from the tragedy.
"I would like to prevent this tragedy from happening to another family," Beth told Inside Edition.
She has since founded the Natalee Holloway Resource Center to help families deal with the pain of missing loved ones. In a project co-sponsored by the Alcatraz East Crime Museum in Tennessee, Beth also gives talks to young people about personal safety.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world, Inside Edition was there as she spoke to students at Sevier County High School Outside Knoxville.
"She let her guard down for a moment, and in that moment, she vanished," Beth said. "I do hope that the students will be able to connect with Natalee's story and somehow be able to apply these personal safety and travel safety messages."
Natalee, who was 18 at the time, vanished on a school trip to Aruba in May 2005. Joran Van Der Sloot, the main suspect in her disappearance, is currently serving 28 years for murdering another young woman in Peru. Natalee's remains have never been found.
At the end of her talk to the students, Beth took questions, and one asked if she still hopes to find her daughter.
"I think as parents, we always have hope that there is more information to come," Beth said. "I know it's been close to 15 years. That's a long time. But yes, I do still have hope that we will find out the answer as to really what happened to her."
RELATED STORIES
