Statement from Jodi’s family on her 50th birthday

The following is a statement from Jodi’s family and was read during our event in Mason City on June 5th, 2018 near one of the billboards calling attention to her case.

It was read by former KIMT-TV General Manager John Shine.

The statement reads:

We would like to send out a big thank you to the members of the Find Jodi team for all of the work they have done and continue to do in trying to find answers and keeping Jodi’s case alive, including these beautiful billboards. It is amazing to us that many of the members never met or knew Jodi personally, yet they are so willing to give of their own time and resources to help solve the case and bring Jodi the justice she deserves. We would especially like to thank Josh Benson, his wife Tara Manis Benson, and Caroline Lowe for all of the time and effort they put in to making these billboards a reality. We are so grateful, and we know Jodi would be as well.

We would also like to say thank you to the members of Jodi’s Network of Hope for all of the work they do in making something good out of something so tragic. From scholarships and safety training to the annual golf tournament, you help keep Jodi’s spirit alive, and we are grateful to you.

Finally, we would like to say thank you to all of you who came out for this event today, have attended events in the past, and/or continue to have an interest in Jodi and the case. The care and support you have shown has meant the world to us.

Today would have been Jodi’s 50th birthday. What should be a day of celebration is now a day of reflection for us as we think about what we have lost and the moments we have missed out on sharing with her. We know that, if she was with us today, we would all be together with Jodi and her friends celebrating this milestone. Jodi was known for her creativity in planning events, and she would have most likely planned something spectacular for this occasion. However, instead of celebrating, we are left still agonizing over what happened to Jodi almost 23 years ago. Not a day goes by where we do not think of Jodi and wish she was still here with us. We need answers, and Jodi deserves justice. We hope that these billboards will help in finding both.