The grandfather of the 7-year-old girl who was kidnapped and murdered earlier this week is preaching forgiveness for the FedEx driver accused of committing the horrific crimes.
According to tragic reports, police located the body of Athena Strand on Friday, two days after she is said to have vanished from her bedroom.
Authorities say the FedEx driver in question, Tanner Lynn Horner, had delivered a package to her home around the time she disappeared.
As per the New York Post, Horner, 31, confessed to abducting Athena from her home in Paradise, Texas and has now been charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping.
Now at least one member of Athena’s family is trying to find a way to stop hatred taking over his soul.
The 7-year-old’s grandfather, Mark Strand, is clinging to his faith in God after the atrocity that ended his granddaughter’s life.
In a powerful Facebook post on Saturday, Mark explained his belief that hate will consume a person if left unchecked, and his decision to forgive the man who killed Athena is one taken for the sake of his family and God.
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“This flesh, this man that I am, is angry and I want 5 minutes alone in a cell with the psycho that took our Athena away from us, but there’s a soft gentle voice in the back of my head telling me I need to forgive him,” he wrote.
“This flesh man, wants that psycho to burn in hell for all eternity, yet that gentle voice continues to tell me, I need to forgive him.”
Mark added that the Holy Spirit was reminding him that Jesus “willingly laid Himself on a cross and died in my place to reconcile me to God the Father, but also that He did that for All of Us, even this man that my flesh so Hates at this very moment.”
He concluded: “There’s not one ounce of my flesh that wants to do this or say this, but my spirit has heard God’s voice and right now, while tears flood my eyes, I declare publicly that I forgive this man!”
Athena’s mother, meanwhile, posted her own heartfelt tribute to her daughter.
“Her name is Athena Presley Monroe Strand. She was perfect from her creation. She was born perfect and too beautiful,” Maitlyn Gandy wrote in a post on Dec. 4.
“Daddy and mommy were scared of how beautiful she has always been and we feel like we failed you.
“No one deserves what happened to you, but especially you. I love you and love doesn’t even cover it. Mommy is broken without you.”
Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, a FedEx contract driver, was arrested on charges of capital murder and aggravated kidnapping, and remains in a Texas jail with bonds totaling $1.5 million.
My heart bleeds for the family of this poor girl.
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