Statement from Family of Slain Children
Words cannot express our community’s sense of loss and sorrow, but we extend our condolences to the families of Jake and Griffin Prince who lost two treasured children in a boating accident on Lake Lanier.
This complete statement was released by the Prince and Hansen Families on Facebook:
“June 18, 2012 will always be remembered by our family as a day of extraordinary sadness, pain and suffering; but, it will also be remembered as a day when hundreds of thousands of people, across the United States and in 19 other countries, began to open their hearts to us, to pray for us, to serve us, to contribute their time and resources to Michael, Tara, and Ryan as well as to other family members, to mitigate the financial and emotional costs associated with this tragedy.
We are humbled by this outpouring of love, and of all of the prayers which have been and continue to be offered on our behalf. We have felt the power of these prayers and we express our deepest gratitude for the faith and goodness they represent.
We are amazed at the miracles which took place as devoted and capable members of the Public Safety Community, representing many local and state and national organizations worked together as a team to fulfill the mission they had to find Griffin’s body. This was an outstanding example of how a team of professionals can accomplish even the most difficult of assignments, and of how they were motivated not just by a sense of duty, but of how this was also a work of love, which has helped to bring our beloved Griffin’s body home, so he can be honored and buried with his brother.
There will be a place of honor at the funeral for all of those in the Public Safety Community who were involved in this search and who supported the efforts of those on the scene, and those who reached out to our family in so many ways. If their schedules are such that they can attend, we want them there.
These events were all foreseen by God, and while He does not cause bad things to happen, He can provide for much good to flow from such events. Certainly, our family is living proof of this truth.
While we would gladly return all the blessings we have received from God since the day of this tragedy to have our two boys back; yet, we know that reunion will be delayed until a future time and place; so, until that time, we express our gratitude for the many blessings we receive every day.
The Public Visitation being held July 2, 2012, and the Funeral being held July 3, 2012 represent a small gift that we offer to others, as well as a time of healing for our family as we rejoice in the lives of these two beautiful boys whom we love and honor for their goodness.”