Runnion’s sorrow still unites families today

MICHELE MARR

Two years ago, when Peggy Price heard Erin Runnion tell her daughter

Samantha, “I love you, cielito lindo,” while appealing for the return

of her kidnapped 5-year-old, the words grabbed Price’s heart and she

cried.

The former minister of the Huntington Beach Church of Religious

Science wanted to call Runnion on the spot to comfort her, but she

knew that would be impossible. Later, after Samantha’s body had been

found, that moment struck her as prophetic when she got a call asking

her if she would officiate at the child’s memorial service. Price met

with Runnion the following day.

“I saw a mother who had a heart full of love,” she said. “In the

midst of her own sorrow, she was able to feel empathy for the many

others in her neighborhood who were grieving Samantha’s loss. [Her]

heart is very open. [Her] compassion reaches far beyond her personal

feelings of loss.”

Runnion was looking for someone who could create a service

suitable for people of all faiths. The request was a perfect fit for

the minister and founding member of the Greater Huntington Beach

Interfaith Council.

The next day, Price stood before hundreds of families, thousands

of people, who overflowed the seating of the Crystal Cathedral to

mourn Samantha’s death and celebrate her life. I was one of those who

couldn’t get inside, standing on the lawn, looking through the

building’s glass walls, listening through a public address system to

Price as she spoke.

While children as young as Samantha played at the feet of their

parents, Price told us of the little girl with such a big heart.

Price told us of the child who, robbed of her life, brought so many

people together.

“[Samantha] has brought [us] together to care for our children and

to raise the level of awareness for caring for their safety,” she

said.

On a recent Saturday, I stood on the lawn of an elementary school

where dozens of families were gathered to celebrate Samantha’s eighth

birthday at the second annual Children’s Art Festival sponsored by a

foundation called The Joyful Child. I watched as Price honored

Runnion with the Spiritual and Religious Alliance for Hope’s Peace

Tapestry Award.

The tapestry, made of squares of cloth on which children have

drawn their vision for peace, is a traveling award. It was given to

Price last year in recognition of her work in the interfaith

community and on behalf of peace in the world. When it came time to

pass it on, she chose to pass it to Runnion.

“She has no room in her heart for hate or vengeance,” Price said.

“Instead, she has taken a horrific, tragic loss and has transformed

it into a powerful message for the good of everyone’s children. She

is a remarkable woman.”

It was Runnion and her husband, Kenneth Donnelly, who established

The Joyful Child Foundation “in honor of their daughter’s courage and

in memory of her joy.” Samantha’s motto was “Be brave!” and she was

taken, screaming and kicking, fighting for her life. Within a month

of Samantha’s death, Donnelly had established a grant-giving fund

with the help of Shelley Hoss, the president of the Orange County

Community Foundation.

The mission of the nonprofit The Joyful Child Foundation is to

bring together and support communities in safeguarding and cherishing

all children. Runnion and Donnelly want to prevent what happened to

their daughter ever happening to another child.

In Samantha’s case, Runnion said, “the media focused almost

exclusively on the rare occurrence of stranger abductions and no one

seemed to care that these cases are part of a much larger number,

58,000 nonfamily abductions each year.

“Most of these children may be recovered alive but nearly half

have been abused before they are found. As many as one in four girls

and one in six boys will be sexually assaulted before the age of 16.”

The first initiative of The Joyful Child is called Samantha’s

PRIDE, as in a lion’s pride, which leaves them less vulnerable to

their predators. The community awareness and child watch program is

designed to help people within communities join together to prevent

violence against children.

The program was established after a realtor pointed out to Runnion

and Donnelly how much their personal tragedy had moved people to get

to know their neighbors. All over the county, after Samantha’s kidnap

and murder, he saw signs--”Neighborhood Potluck” or “Come Meet Your

Neighbors at Our First Annual Picnic” -- going up.

“I could hardly believe it,” Runnion said. “I decided I would

offer a simple plan for neighbors to utilize as a tool for organizing

so that children could safely walk to and from school, play in their

front yards and be free children -- safely.”

A packet about how to establish a PRIDE, including an overview of

Samantha’s PRIDE, various forms and a manual, is available at

www.thejoyfulchild.org, along with some disconcerting statistics,

such as “more than 70% of all sexual crimes are committed against

children and [more than] 800,000 are abused every year.” There is

both an informal and formal option for establishing a PRIDE.

Runnion, who says she feels so lucky to have been Samantha’s

mother, however short the time, envisions that, while creating a safe

environment for children, participants will also create a nurturing

community for all family members. She hopes to introduce the program

to Huntington Beach in the fall.

The Joyful Child

Samantha’s PRIDE

P.O. Box 12680

Westminster, CA 92685

866-7-JOYFUL

www.thejoyfulchild.org

* MICHELE MARR is a freelance writer from Huntington Beach. She

can be reached at [email protected].