(Radio Iowa) – Friends and families gathered at a park in Evansdale Wednesday to share their stories of loved ones who have been killed as part of the National Day of Remembrance for victims of homicide. Heidi Maring wears a tattoo on her arm to remember her eight-year-old son Anthony, who was killed by her husband, and tells K-C-R-G T-V she came to Angel’s Park to honor those lost. “We are the last ones to tell our loved one’ story and keep their memory alive,” Maring says. For some, this is a chance to tell people about their journey and the ones they’ve lost.

““It never goes away. You just find ways, you have good days and you have bad days,” Maring says. The Evansdale park is dedicated to Elizabeth Collins and her cousin Lyric Cook Morrissey who were kidnapped and killed in 2012. Drew Collins is the father of Elizabeth and tells K-C-R-G T-V about keeping the hope that the case will be solved. “You have to keep calling the police, you have to keep following up with things, and if you don’t it goes away,” Collins says. Collins spends much of his time connecting with families in similar situations to give them solidarity.  “It’s just important for all these people to know they’re not alone, and they’re not going through it alone,” Collins says.

The people at Angel’s Park, including the father of Elizabeth Collins, said the chance to tell their story to people who understand what they’re going through is rare and also powerful.