What’s The Lesson In The Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito Story?

This story had been steadily gaining steam over the last week and indications are it's going to end with the worst outcome possible.

Gabby went on a cross-country trip with her fiancé, Brian, and never came home.

Watching the Saturday edition of Good Morning America over the weekend, a former FBI agent was being interviewed about what process is normally used in a missing persons case, and what procedure law enforcement typically uses when there's a 'person of interest.'

Late yesterday there was news from the FBI that following a search of a campground in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, a body was recovered "that is consistent with the description of Gabrielle."

I don't want to jump to conclusions. I am a firm believer in "innocent until proven guilty."

I also consider myself a person with good common sense.

Two people leave town together. One comes home... and to boot, won't talk about what happened to the other person. To make matters worse, the other person goes into hiding. Again... I'm not one to rush to judgement, but this one sure seems like a no-brainer.

I will simply end by saying this. I have four sisters. I'm not a violent person, but if someone was abusing one of them, I could be. You'd like to think that if something bad was going on in a relationship, you'd step in and say or do something about it... myself included.

Sadly, many of us have the mentality that this will never happen to us or someone we love. We want to believe that the worst thing that could happen never would.

But it does.

People stay in bad relationships because their loved one would never hurt them. Maybe they don't have a family member or friend to turn to, and nowhere to go.

But they do.

If you're in a toxic relationship, get out. Get help. Talk to someone. My heart breaks for Gabby, her family and anyone else that has lost someone.

If this is you or someone you love, speak up.

In Dubuque we have Opening Doors, the Riverview Center and the Dubuque Community YWCA/YMCA.

Call me. I would be glad to help you. My cell is 563-231-0278 and my email is chris.farber@townsquaremedia.com.

Love shouldn't hurt.

#JusticeForGabby

~Chris Farber