Carly Miller, 19, sits on a bench pointing to yellow ribbons she's tied around thick trunks of a dozen trees at Lacombe Park.
It's an expression of support for former St. Albert resident Alison Azer and her four abducted children, Sharvahn, 11, Rojevahn, 10, Dersim, 7 and Meitan, 4 now living in Iran with their father.
“I feel so scared for them. They are so little. Why did the ex-husband take the children away from their mother to Iran? They're in a war area, a life or death situation and they're super little. It's breaking my heart,” said Miller.
The Special Olympics athlete first heard of the bizarre abduction on Wednesday after Azer gave a media conference in Ottawa.
Azer announced that Iranian authorities, acting on a Canadian red Interpol notice, had detained her ex-husband Dr. Saren Mahmudi-Azer. He was out on bail, but was being monitored and was scheduled for a later court appearance.
Miller spotted the information on a Facebook page and was initially shocked.
“I feel so sad. I feel like my whole world was turned upside down by how sad Alison felt about the children.”
In the 11 months since the children's abduction, people across the nation reacted to the personal tragedy offering their prayers, donating money to pay legal expenses, conducting candlelight vigils and signing letters sent to the Prime Minister's office.
Unaware of the power of the golden emblem made famous by Tony Orlando's song Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree, Miller went shopping with her mother Rene and purchased 225 metres of yellow ribbon that have since decorated trees in seven St. Albert school yards.
“I am so deeply touched that someone would take an interest. She has such a loving soul and I'm honoured my children's plight resonated with her,” said Alison Azer during a telephone interview from the East Coast.
Interestingly, Miller does not realize that at one time the yellow ribbon symbolized bringing back the troops from war. For her, the happy colour is about reuniting the kidnapped children with their mother.
“I feel so powerful to do this. And I am proud to live in this country. I love Canada. I love the people. I love the culture. I love the food,” Miller said.
She hopes the ribbons become a unifying thread throughout the community and that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau realizes that this grass roots movement of voters across the country wants him take immediate action.
“Justin Trudeau needs to take a stand and help out. The government has to protect everyone and the children. And lately I don't see them protecting the children and the people.”
She is also encouraging people to use their right to speak about injustices.
“I used to be a kid. I'm an adult now and I want the whole world to know Alison's story.
She adds, “Have faith, laugh be joyful and protect the kids.”
