Nearly 200 people gathered in downtown Baton Rouge on Sunday night to hear prayers and words of hope that the LSU freshmen who have been missing since Wednesday will be safe and healthy.
Kori Gauthier, an education principal at Opelousas, was reported missing after she did not show up for class, work or doctor’s appointment on Wednesday.
Her family discovered that someone earlier in the morning crashed into Gauthier’s car that was empty on the Interstate 10 Mississippi Bridge.
Family members tracked down Gauthier’s cell phone to a Baton Rouge salvage site, where they found her entire car.
One of Gauthier’s family members, Pamela Ravare-Jones, who is also the assistant chief of staff of Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome, led the prayer vigil held in downtown Galvez Plaza, a solemn, yet hopeful gathering under blue sky and a gentle breeze from the river.
“We are humbled by this representation of family, friends and community who have come to stand with us in faith and hope and trust that our beloved Kori will be reunited with her family,” Ravare-Jones said.
On the front row of chairs in front of the speakers sit Kori’s parents, Misti Ravare and Levar Gauthier, and two other of their daughters. Behind them sit Kori’s maternal grandparents, Greg and Ann Ravare.
LSU said law enforcement did not think foul play was involved in Gauthier’s disappearance. The continued search for her continued on Sunday with mounted officers, boats and sonar technology.
Community leaders who offered their prayers included Lieutenant General Billy Nungesser, Catholic Bishop Michael Duca, Mayor Sharon Weston Broome, Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul, Opelousas Mayor Julius Alsandor and interim LSU president Tom Galliga.
“God is a great God,” Bishop Duca said. “Miracles happen – it gives us hope that a miracle will happen again and that is our full prayer.”
“We always trust that if our hope is not great enough, our hope in God is enough to sustain us,” he said.
Gauthier’s godmother, Patience Jordan, read a poem she wrote to her granddaughter.
“Today we honor you and trust that God will keep you close,” Jordan read, trembling her voice. “We will continue to trust God to lead you home.”
When a song that was a favorite with Kori and her father, ‘I Hope You Dance’, was sung on stage by Francine Smith, Gauthier’s parents leaned against each other.
Ron Chavis and his wife, Jada Chavis, who is a first cousin of Gauthier’s mother, were from Opelousas. Their daughter, Sydni, was also a first-year student at LSU and lives in a dormitory across the hall from Kori’s room.
“I saw her on Monday; we were hanging out and she was happy,” Sydni Chavis said.
Jada Chavis said she drove from Opelousas to Baton Rouge every day as Kori was reported missing to walk up and down and search.
“I’m still hopeful and praying,” Jada Chavis said.