FREDONIA, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Fredonia community held a candlelight vigil Saturday night to remember Mackenzie Michalski. The 31-year-old went missing while traveling in Hungary and was later found dead.
Budapest Police have released new details. You can learn more about their investigation in the video below and read more here.
Melissa Pietrkiewicz, a friend of Michalski's parents, organized the vigil at Barker Commons in Fredonia. Michalski was originally from Fredonia but recently moved to Portland, Oregon.
Her hometown community hoped the vigil would bring solace to Michalski's family and to those who loved her.
"Sometimes people just need to be in the presence of other people that are grieving to be given permission to feel their feelings," said Pietrkiewcz. "My hope is that we can do right by her and do right by her family tonight to be in the moment together, to celebrate her and remember her."
"It's the power of the heart. This is where people get together to not only celebrate but also mourn," said Village of Fredonia Mayor Michael Ferguson. "She hasn't lived here in a couple of years, but she just knows so many people in the community and so many people know her and her family. That's what this is all about.”
"It's amazing to see that no matter where we are in this world, we all feel the same emotions," said Rev. Joanne Copley-Nigro. "When we get together as a community, no matter where we are, whether it be Erie County, Niagara County, Chautauqua County, it demonstrates the importance of small communities. It demonstrates the importance of a community coming together."
A GoFundMe was established to support her family which you can find online here.