Natalee Holloway’s mother promotes travel safety
By Holly Pupino
DOWNTOWN AKRON — Beth Holloway Twitty has been living every parent’s worst nightmare since the disappearance of her daughter, Natalee Holloway, in Aruba last May.
But the speech therapist and mother of two from Alabama is trying to make something positive come from her tragedy. She is making visits around the country, including several here in the Akron area last Thursday, to educate teens and young adults about travel safety.
The Summit County Sheriff’s Office sponsored Twitty’s visit to Green and Coventry high schools, the Portage Lakes Career Center and The University of Akron (UA). She shared details about the case and her frustrations in not being able to find Natalee or get straight answers in Aruba. She also offered tips for those planning to travel outside the United States.
“When you leave our borders, you leave behind certain rights and privileges,” said Twitty. “Your Constitutional rights don’t apply.”
Natalee and her friends had just graduated from high school in Mountain Brook, Ala., and were taking a post-graduation trip to Aruba. Natalee was last seen leaving a bar around 1:30 a.m. on May 30, 2005, with three young men who lived on the island. The travel agent called Twitty to tell her Natalee had not arrived later that morning for her flight home.
When Twitty arrived on the island, she found Natalee’s packed suitcase, passport and cell phone in her hotel room. Twitty said she was encouraged to see the passport.
“I thought it meant she was still on the island and I would find her,” she said.
The ensuing weeks and months were marked by highs and lows: leads about Natalee’s whereabouts that would ultimately prove to be false; the arrests of suspects who were later released from custody; outpouring of prayers and help from strangers; and stonewalling and silence from the people most likely to have answers. The case has generated international media attention. An investigation into her disappearance is still ongoing.
“Aruba is a beautiful place,
but as we searched the drug
houses and brothels, we saw the hidden underbelly of
the island,” she said. The surreal nature of the
experience led Twitty to think, “Toto, we’re
not in Kansas anymore,” a line from Natalee’s
favorite movie, “The Wizard of Oz.”
As she looked into the audience
at UA, Twitty said she hopes other young people learn
from Natalee’s mistakes. Twitty said her daughter
was very smart — she had earned a full scholarship
to attend the University of Alabama — but she
was probably lulled into a false sense of security.
“Natalee was on top of
the world,” her mother said. “I’m
sure she never saw this
coming. She was blindsided.”
Twitty said her daughter probably
felt safe because she was with a big group of friends.
But, she said, even young adults should follow the “buddy
rule” they learned as children and never go anywhere
alone.
“Don’t put yourself
in any situation where you can’t use your own
free will,” she said. “Have a safety circle
but know that, ultimately, you are responsible for your
own safety. Always go with your gut feeling. Your instincts
are your own best protection, whether you are simply
taking a trip to the mall or traveling out of the country.”
Other safety tips shared
by Twitty:
• Before traveling overseas,
make sure your cell phone is activated to make international
calls. Natalee was not able to use her phone for this
reason.
• In bars and restaurants,
never leave your drink unattended. Protect yourself
from a club drug being slipped into your drink for the
purpose of date rape.
• Before you travel to another
country, do your homework. Learn about the laws, the
form of government and who to call in an emergency.
• When on vacation, never
tell strangers the day and time of your departure. Criminals
often strike at this time, knowing you’ll be rushed
and less likely to take
the time to file a police report.
In honor of her daughter, Twitty
has created the nonprofit organization International
Safe Travels Foundation. The Web site, currently under
construction, is www.safetravels
foundation.org.
“I pray that your parents
never have to experience my pain,” Twitty told
the UA students in her audience. “It’s not
too late for you.”
Beth Holloway Twitty made several appearances in the Akron area last week, including The University of Akron, where she shared travel safety advice with students.
Photo: Holly Pupino
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