COMMENTARY--DAVE HOLLOWAY

The Quiet man

By Meri U., Aruban Boycott Blogger

Dave Holloway lost his daughter in May, 2005. He has appeared on several news shows to speak about the disappearance of his daughter, Natalee and he has been to Aruba and participated alongside others in a hands-on search for Natalee. He has cooperated with the Aruban authorities and done everything possible to find answers as to what happened to Natalee.

Dave Holloway is not a loud or gregarious person. He is not a professional speaker and he comes across as low key. He answers questions in a manner that is never over-bearing. Dave Holloway is a gentleman and a gentle man. I have the distinct impression that he seeks no attention for himself and that he appears on television because he has to and not because he wants to.

Dave has a book coming out later this month and I have no doubt that it will be an honest and informative account of his personal experiences on the Island of Aruba. I plan on reading his book because I trust and admire Dave.

I have never met Dave Holloway or his wife Robin, but I know those who have and they have nothing but kind words for this man who reluctantly appears before cameras in his quest to find out what happened to his child.

Whenever I see or hear Dave my heart breaks a little more at his plight and I want to reach out to him and offer my support. I get the feeling that the appearances that he makes are not something that he craves and if not for his absolute need to find out what happened to his daughter he'd rather be someplace else, doing something else.

Few people discuss Dave because his presence makes one feel like they watching a very private man who finds himself in a very sad place; a place where one feels that commenting would be an intrusion and violation of his private thoughts.

Dave Holloway shares his thoughts with us via his appearances because he must. I can only imagine how difficult this task is for him and how much he wants to know the truth. How horrible it must be for him to listen to the main suspect (Joran) victimizing his daughter time after time and painting her with a sleazy brush. This is a daughter that he knows well and hearing someone portray her as a wild child who enticed and seduced a stranger that she didn't know must cut him to the quick.

The Natalee that Dave knows and loves doesn't even resemble the person described by this Dutch boy who's claim to fame is lying.

Dave Holloway is a father and his only hope is that he will someday know what happened to his child before she disappeared. I'm sure that he would like to set her free and allow her to rest. Wherever she is, only justice and truth can do that so Dave will continue to speak out and do whatever it takes to grant his daughter the promise that most Dad's give to their children...protection. He could not protect her from the fate that befell her that night so long ago but he can try to bring her peace wherever she is now. That's the only thing left for Dave Holloway to give to the daughter who he loved and lost.