Heat Lightning Strikes Three Times: Ariel Ayubo, Robert Skelton & Karl Hindle

Ariel Ayubo's son was abducted from the US to Brazil several years ago - I met him at the Sean Goldman rally in Washington DC and was struck by his quiet reserve. On Friday last, Ariel flew to Brazil under close protection (or observation) by the Brazilian Federal police to finally have contact with Lorenzo.

It's a small world as Ariel lives in Edgewater, Florida a few short miles from Daytona where Emily's appeal was filed last Friday.

On Thursday night, I met up with Ariel and Robert Skelton, another Volusia County father who has his daughter, Marissa Joy Kvistad missing after being abducted to Spain and then Switzerland.

A balmy Florida evening descended with a fantastic display of heat-lightning courtesy of Hurricane Bill out in the Atlantic. We meandered along Flagler Avenue of New Smyrna Beach enjoying seafood (it was the local Shrimp Festival that night)as well as each other's company demonstrating that laughter is good medicine.



Thoughts unspoken were on Ariel as he had his flight to Brazil the next day. Rob and I both know what it feels like to be so keyed up at the prospect of seeing your child, if only for a brief few moments and maybe not at all but the hope is there - making sure Ariel was distracted from what lay ahead was the priority and from the smile on his face, I think we can say we succeeded.

Good luck Ariel!