The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
REMEMBERING AMY MIHALJEVIC
105 luminaries shine along walk to school for girl 31 years after her death
Dozens of Bay Village residents and locals stood in near silence Oct. 27 along Wolf Road outside the Bay Village City Hall, holding photographs of the late Amy Mihaljevic on the 31st anniversary of her abduction.
The event lined 105 luminaries along the sidewalk that was 10-year-old Mihaljevic’s walk to school, representative of each day she was missing in 1989.
She was kidnapped from Bay Square Shopping Center, across the street from the luminary event, and was found dead in Ashland County early in 1990.
Her killer is still at large and the case is still under investigation, 31 years later.
Mark Kevesdy, organizer of the event and a math teacher at Bay Middle School, said he hopes to bring the luminaries back every year to continue telling Mihaljevic’s story.
“We’ll never forget,” he said. “We’re too strong of a community to let that happen.
Kevesdy said he is also working with the middle school to continue tributes through the school district.
He said he’s been thinking about putting on a luminary event for the past few weeks, and took to the streets by hanging flyers around the city to promote the gathering.
Kevesdy said he believes his efforts paid off, as turnout was healthy, despite the rainy weather.
“I felt it was time,” he said. “We can’t wait. Her monster’s out there that she had to face and die alone.”
Liz Rush, 65, of Mansfield, is also doing her part to continue spreading awareness of Mihaljevic’s case.
Her blog, “Amy Mihaljevic Continued,” works to remember Mihaljevic and promote other remembrance events.
“They know who did this,” Rush said. “They absolutely know... Somebody should have been arrested at this point.”
"I felt it was time. We can’t wait. Her monster’s out there that she had to face and die alone." — Mark Kevesdy, organizer of the luminary and a math teacher at Bay Middle School