After 18 months of being in captivity, raped, and beaten by Al-Baghdadi, leader of ISIS and the Levant, in 2015 Kayla was pronounced dead by militants. The 26-year-old was taken hostage while leaving the Doctors without Borders hospital in 2013. On Sunday, October 27th, President Donald Trump had a 20-minute phone call with the Mueller’s informing them about the military operation, named after their daughter, that has now ended due to the death of the terrorist leader entrusted to be the captor of Kayla Mueller.

After years on the hunt for the one responsible for Mueller’s tragic death, it was finally over. Six long years of waiting for the “revenge” of their daughter, Sunday, October 27, Mr and Mrs Mueller watched a press conference in which President Trump was speaking at. Anxiously awaiting a phone call, cleaning the kitchen, Marsha Mueller talked to Kayla and God. Carl Mueller was writing questions down to ask the President when the call came saying, “If you don’t write it down, you’ll forget in the moment.”

The Mueller’s never got the chance to bury their daughter, due to not having the chance to retrieve her body, after receiving the news of her death. Although they do recall an email with three photographs of their pale, beloved Kayla from the militants, shortly after ISIS announced her death, yet, having high hopes of getting answers to their questions of what actually happened to their daughter following the death of the ISIS leader. 

Starting as just a condolence call from President Trump, as the President spoke, Carl and Marsha found it comforting. As the call continued, it became clear that Trump knew her story, what had happened, and what her parents has endured over the last several years. During the conversation the Muellers were able to get answers for 90 percent of their questions, but there was one Trump could not answer and promised he’d bring up in the next meeting. This phone call lasted 18 minutes in which Carl said, “It was almost like talking to a friend.” Kayla Mueller has a tragic story and no one deserves to endure the pain her and her family have been through. Six years later and this operation has now been closed with a harsh ending but also a good one, due to the fact that the Muellers can now be at peace and know that the one who tortured and murdered their loved one can no longer attempt to do so to others.