BLUE POINT, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — The Blue Point community is planning a special tribute for Long Island native Gabby Petito.
The “Shine a Light for Gabby” tribute asks that residents put out a luminary in front of their home, to be lit in unison at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Mourners can donate $20 to receive a luminary at the Blue Point Nature Preserve from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday. All proceeds will be donated to the Petito/Schmidt family.
The event is being held as a memorial continues to form at Chamber Park in Blue Point, drawing dozens of people from all over Long Island looking to pay respects to the 22-year-old, whose body was found Sunday at a Wyoming national park after a weekslong search.
Her death was ruled a homicide and the search continues for her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, who disappeared shortly before being named a person of interest in her disappearance and killing.
WCBS 880’s Sophia Hall visited the park and heard from multiple people who came to add mementos to the growing memorial of flowers, stuffed animals, balloons and angel statues.
“My heart is broke. I don’t know what to say, but I pray for them,” said one woman. “I have four kids – I wouldn’t know what to do. This is devastating. I don’t understand how somebody could be that heartless and just leave somebody like that.”
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She said she never met the 22-year-old, who had moved to Florida with her fiancé before setting out on a cross-country road trip months ago.
Another mother who came to the memorial site brought a statue of an angel with her. She told WCBS 880 that she recently lost her son to COVID-19 and felt sympathetic for Petito’s family.
“I did a little prayer and a sign of the cross, just to [tell her], ‘You’re in good hands up there,’” she said.
The mother said she will be lighting a candle in honor of Petito’s memory on Friday night, and loves the symbolism behind it.
“The original thought for lighting the candle is so somebody can find their way home,” she said. “So this, I know this is something that they wanted to do so she could find her way home but unfortunately, she's gone.”
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