On the evening of August 28, 2024, everything seemed normal. Ari Valdes laced up her shoes and left her home for a quick run around 6:30 p.m.—something she had done countless times before. But that night, she never came back.
Traffic camera footage from nearby US 41 showed her heading southbound not far from her neighborhood. That was the last time anyone saw her.
Days turned into nights, and hope turned into fear. Friends, family, and neighbors joined search efforts, clinging to the possibility that Ari would be found safe. Social media lit up with photos, hashtags, and prayers—but silence followed.
Her sister, Isabella Hergert, later shared a heartfelt message that moved thousands:
“Ari, you were too good for this world. I love you and I’ll see you again in every lifetime.”
Isabella had also created a GoFundMe page to raise a reward for anyone with information. The community responded with overwhelming support. But with the search tragically concluded, the family is now exploring how to use those funds to honor Ari’s life—through something that brings light from the darkness.
Whether through a memorial, a scholarship, or a cause Ari believed in, the family’s focus has shifted from searching to remembering.
In the end, Ari’s story is not just about loss—it’s about love, unity, and how one young woman inspired an entire community to come together.