‘My cousins are beautiful souls.’ Melani Pawlowski releases message expressing love for JJ and Tylee

Melani Pawlowski, a cousin of Joshua “JJ” Vallow and Tylee Ryan, posted the following message on Facebook Wednesday evening. She granted EastIdahoNews.com permission to share the post.

I don’t have words for the horrific details our family was informed of last week. It is unfathomable, and it doesn’t feel like real life. We’ve been trying to process all of this while in absolute shock as we never could have seen this as the outcome and still have so many questions.

While I feel so many emotions as I scroll looking at pictures of my cousins, I am grateful for so many who have prayed, hoped, and believed with our family. Thank you for the messages of comfort and love which overcome all the more negativity that is going around.

Thank you to those who have honored JJ and Tylee with kindness. My cousins are beautiful souls who both radiate love towards others and whom had a zealous passion for life.

I know Tylee and JJ know how I feel already – but I want to share for so many who didn’t have the blessing of being able to be a part of their lives. And especially in gratitude for those who have expressed heartfelt empathy and who have chosen to love our family without judgment and to lift us up through this.

Tylee was one of the wittiest, spunkiest individuals I’ve ever had in my life. She didn’t let what people thought get to her. If you knew Tylee, she would probably be giving the biggest eye roll at all the drama unfolding in the media. To anyone using this terrible situation to express their hate and blame on others, she would probably tell you off- because she was the sassiest thing ever and wasn’t afraid to say how she felt.

Tylee loved to have fun and didn’t draw into drama, but would use it as a platform for her comedy. Boy could she make others laugh! She went through a lot of hard things in her life, and she didn’t deserve what happened to her..no one does. I truly wish she could go on live television and tell her story, rather than anyone else who has and will in the future- just know..the stakes are set high from that girl:)

I know I could never measure up in that regard – as we’ve all seen, I’m horrible on live television and I would rather not do it ever again or to have to talk publicly about the trauma my family has gone through. I was always so impressed with Tylee’s ability to express herself and communicate well – I wish she was here to clear up all the confusion for us; she would do it better than any of the rest of us could.

JJ was a ball of energy and high spirits! He wanted to be on the move constantly, doing something active, or going somewhere with his cousins or siblings. He loved my oldest son, and he wanted to be with him morning, night, and day. He trusted Braxy, and would walk hand in hand with him as we took Disneyland Trips together, went to water parks, beaches, jungle gyms…anything to keep all the busy kiddos entertained.

JJ bravely went on Guardians of the Galaxy all because my son and I wanted to go on it and he didn’t want to be left out on the action. JJ reached out to everyone with his love, but nothing was more special than his bond with his siblings Tylee and Colby who just adored him.

Our family has been grieving with one thing after another, we’ve suffered many betrayals and it feels as if only the Savior could understand. But I know others know similar grief and I believe we go through these experiences to learn and be able to comfort others. Thank you for any who can find it in their hearts to withhold negative feelings and to just exhibit love♥

While trying to mourn through this most devastating event our family will probably ever have to endure, the public continues to criticize and twist information, others are trying to capitalize on this tragic event for their own gain, and all this distracts from these two precious babes. Some have and probably will continue to edit out truths to their own advantage for the story they want. Bottom line is, that this is our family…you can speculate all you want, but no one has all the facts.

Clearly I don’t have all the details..we are all just doing the best we can. Without having knowledge or actual evidence to the contrary, we chose to go with what we hoped and believed. I couldn’t go back and say anything different- it was what I knew…it was what I experienced.

While wanting to have every answer and all the missing puzzle pieces, I know the Lord knows all and He has a way of healing and making things right in His time. I’m grateful it is His job to judge, not ours.

I cannot process this pain and hurt alone, so I have no choice but to give it to the Lord and say ‘take this’. I can’t possibly understand why things have happened or why people make the choices they do. Life will never be the same. No one can tell me how I feel, what I know, or what I believe- only God and we know what we have individually experienced. We never know what other people are going through, or the pains they’ve endured.. so just be kind 🙂

I believe that would make JJ and Tylee smile down from heaven- let’s love others like the Savior would and remember these two sweet angels forever♥