PHOENIX — A ray of light out of so much darkness. A family still grieving from the loss of nine family members, massacred in northern Mexico, now welcoming a newborn baby girl.
Marisa Langford was pregnant when she heard the news that friends and family were attacked on a road near her home in Mexico.
“Then we got the sudden news that they were gone. There was no more hope,” Langford said “Our community was destroyed in one second.”
The killings robbed the family not only of their loved ones but the feeling of safety in their homes.
"That was all taken away in an instant, never can be replaced," Langford said.
Langford said the stress led to her going into labor on Friday. However, she still decided to join an 18-vehicle caravan traveling to America for safety.
“I want out of here. I don’t feel safe. I can’t sleep at night,” Langford said, "I just said, 'At this point, I will have a baby on the road.'”
Langford would spend hours on the road, going through labor pains, including a two-hour trip through border security.
Once in Arizona, she said she knew she could not wait any longer. at 11:50 p.m., Victoria Dawn was born.
"Beautiful, precious angel sent from heaven." Langford said.
The child named after Dawna Langford, Marisa's best friend, who lost her life in the massacre.
"She had such a cute personality," Langford said "She always brought the laugh always brought the sense of humor."
The child is a reminder of life and hope after so much tragedy – a way to remember the legacy and life on one taken too soon.
"She will always have that place in my heart and i'm so grateful that I got to name my little girl after her," Langford said.
The family still needs help. Dozens of family members are still displaced and looking for help. They are looking for everything from basic supplies to places to stay. The family hopes to get a ranch to recreate a similar lifestyle to the one they had in Mexico.
If you would like to help, email mp_rigby@hotmail.com.