Hundreds Gather At Candlelight Vigil For Abducted Barista

More than five hundred people attended the candlelight vigil for Samantha Koenig, who's been missing for ten days.

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By KTVA CBS 11 News

Story Created: Feb 11, 2012 at 11:46 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Feb 13, 2012 at 9:58 AM AKDT

As daylight ebbs, a flicker of light remains in Anchorage’s Town Square.

A candle’s flame is a beautiful but vulnerable thing – it is easily extinguished, and by itself doesn’t put off much light, but when one flame becomes many, the glow can burn through the fog and the night.

The father of Samantha Koenig, the missing barista, led hundreds Saturday night, hoping their communal beacon would draw her home, noting that despite one missing member, his family continues to grow with each show of support.

“We’re going to get her home,” James Koenig said. “She’s going to be fine. I can fix a life. She’s a strong, resilient kid, and she will bounce back from this. I just don’t know how to thank everybody. At the last press conference I called everybody my family, and I meant it. You’re my heroes.”

After the abduction, people say they are worried for all the baristas that work in Anchorage. Common and numerous, coffee stands are something many of us frequent, and the people working in them are often overlooked in daily life. But we are supposed to be safe at work, and Samantha’s plight has struck a chord.

As the days go by, still with no word on her fate, Anchorage is determined not to let Samantha Koenig’s light die off.
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