DENVER — The 21-year-old woman who was shot and killed while walking her dog with her boyfriend last week was remembered by her family and friends during a memorial service Wednesday.
“Twenty one years and one day, Isabella Joy Thallas was on this earth,” her mom, Ana Thallas, said. “Thank you to those who were with her and did their very best for my baby girl, because I know that you’ve tried your hardest.
“God had a different plan for her and it’s very evident that she fulfilled it throughout her life. I truly believe that we have a plan and purpose, each and every day, and she touched us all.”
Isabella Thallas was remembered for being a caring friend with a quirky sense of humor. Her family talked about her love for traveling around the world and fashion design, and the time she got a speeding ticket in her Mini Cooper that they consequently joked about on Instagram.
Her family wants to build a dog park near where Isabella Thallas was killed, and an artist immortalized her face on a mural on Tuesday – two memorials those who loved her said were fitting for a young woman who touched countless lives.
Isabella Thallas’ boyfriend Darian Simon remains in the hospital after the shooting. During her memorial service, her family said they are trying to find peace despite the senseless crime.
“The hardest thing for me is self-control and holding back judgement for the perpetrator,” Isabella Thallas’ father Josh said. “When will the world stop requiring a human sacrifice in order for us to love each other more and start being good people?”
But during the service, Isabella Thallas’ family friends emphasized that they wanted to continue her legacy of “more love and more peace, without an agenda or division.”
PHOTOS: Remembering Isabella Thallas
“I also know the lord’s plan was for her to touch and impact all of us the way she has,” Josh Thallas said. “For us to walk out with hate and anger in our heart would obliterate and offend her existence in the short time of 21 years and one day.”
“I’m so thankful that the lord chose me as her mother, to have her and be blessed with her 21 years,” Ana Thallas said. “I love you Bella, mama loves you.”
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