Friends and family of Elizabeth Pham console each other along the banks of the Cowlitz River during a candle-light vigil on Tuesday night near Vader.
Roxy Gootgeld, left, leads a prayer in honor of Elizabeth Pham during a candle-light vigil on Tuesday night near Vader.
Roxy Gootgeld, left, leads a prayer in honor of Elizabeth Pham during a candle-light vigil on Tuesday night near Vader.
People drop flowers into to the Cowlitz River in memory of Elizabeth Pham during a candle-light vigil on Wednesday night near Vader.
Flowers that were placed in the Cowlitz River in memory of Elizabeth Pham float by during a candle-light vigil on Tuesday night near Vader.
After saying a prayer in memory of Elizabeth Pham, Roxy Gootgeld, left, encourages people to raise their candles during a vigil on Tuesday night near Vader.
Elizabeth Pham's sister, Stephanie Zaragoza, left, leads people toward the Cowlitz River to place flowers into the water during a candle-light vigil on Tuesday night near Vader.
Roxy Gootgeld, left, leads a prayer in honor of Elizabeth Pham during a candle-light vigil on Tuesday night near Vader.
Stephanie Zaragoza hugs her mother, Mary Thompson-Stahl, while standing next to the Cowlitz River during a candle-light vigil for their late family member Elizabeth Pham on Tuesday night near Vader.
People carry flowers and candles down to the Cowlitz River in memory of Elizabeth Pham during a candle-light vigil on Wednesday night near Vader.
Family, friends and volunteer searchers gathered Tuesday evening at the Mandy Road boat launch on the Cowlitz River in Vader to remember Elizabeth Pham, whose body was found in the river Oct. 27 two weeks after she was reported missing.
“The outpouring of love and support has been just amazing,” said Pham’s sister, Stephanie Zaragoza.
Mourners at the vigil lit candles, listened to music, prayed and looked at photos of Pham.
About 40 people attended the event.
Pham’s mother, Mary Thompson-Stahl, said complete strangers helped search for her daughter, shared information on social media and put up flyers. Friends and family members thanked volunteers at the vigil.
“Everybody who came in contact with Liz loved her,” Thompson-Stahl said. “There’s people here who never met Liz but helped look. It’s been amazing, absolutely amazing, the level of support we’ve had … to find Elizabeth and bring her home.”
Roxy Gootgeld, a friend of Pham’s, led attendees in prayer before they released flowers in the Cowlitz River.
“She’s blessed us all with her presence,” Gootgeld said.
Pham, 33, was reported missing on Oct. 10 near Exit 59 of Interstate 5.
Pham’s vehicle was found, unlocked with the keys inside, on southbound I-5 near milepost 59 in Toledo Oct. 10 by the Washington State Patrol.
Investigators believe Pham left her vehicle on I-5 Saturday morning and walked to Gee Cee’s Truck Stop, where she attempted to get a ride with a truck driver headed to Redding, Calif. An employee of the station stopped her and called a taxi for her, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Pham reportedly asked the taxi driver to take her to Olympia.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the taxi stopped at Pham’s vehicle so she could get personal belongings. The driver reportedly said Pham seemed “unusual and confused.” She was later seen staring into the river.
Pham’s family told investigators the mother of three was likely suffering from postpartum depression.
“I really encourage people to research it to understand more. I wish I had understood more,” Thompson-Stahl said.
She said Pham had suffered from postpartum depression previously, but never to this degree. She said it should be treated like any other disease and taken seriously.
“You don’t tell a diabetic to put a smile on your face,” she said.
The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Swift Water Team spent 5½ hours searching for Pham Oct. 14 between where she was last seen and the Mandy Road Interstate 5 overpass.
Although that search was unsuccessful, Pham’s body was found by two fishermen Oct. 27 one-eighth of a mile southwest of Lacamas Creek in the Cowlitz River in Vader, about 2 miles from where she was last seen.
A celebration of life is scheduled for 11 a.m. today at St. Joseph Church, Chehalis.
