From Deseret News archives:

Closure — Kali Breisch's body found

Family members discover her photo at Thai morgue

Published: Monday, Jan. 3, 2005 11:10 p.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
The body of a Skyline High School sophomore missing since a tsunami devastated south Asia nine days ago has been found by her family.

A picture of Kali Breisch was among those posted outside a morgue in Thailand showing the faces of the bodies inside and was recognized by her older sister, Shonti.

Shonti and her father, Stuart Breisch, had spent five days scouring the country's beachside but stopped the search to be with Kali's brother Jai, 16, who is recovering in Bangkok after suffering a deep cut on his leg and a separated shoulder.

When Kali's family discovered her photo, it was a touching moment captured by a camera crew from ABC's "Good Morning America."

The family was vacationing in Thailand when the gigantic wave hit Dec. 26. Kali, 15, and Jai were in a bungalow on the beach that was knocked down by a huge wave, throwing Jai against a tree.

In Salt Lake County on Monday morning, school leaders say they could have heard a pin drop when fellow students learned Kali's body had been found.

After Principal Kathy Clark made the announcement, students viewed a recorded segment of Monday's "Good Morning America," which happened to be following the Breisch family in the wake of the disaster.

Story continues below
The video showed 18-year-old Shonti, who was wearing a mask to help disguise the smell of decay, seeing her sister's picture and shouting to her father: "Dad, Dad, this is her, this is her shirt, the one that she bought."

It was a halter top, a Christmas present. For minutes, the family held each other and cried.

"This is my sister . . . ," Shonti said, "but we were just still hoping."

Some Skyline students were tearful and quiet. But for some watching the emotional clip, it brought welcomed closure.

"I think some of them felt that they were actually there when she found her sister, and that hit hard," said Ike Spencer, assistant principal.

"It's always hard losing a friend. Of course, we have several kids crying," said John Johansen, student body president. "It was an emotional video, but it really helped with closure. Throughout the weekend we've all been wondering what's going to happen. It's sad, but it is kind of nice to put an end to it."

Clark said the school had counselors on hand to help students who were struggling, but teachers felt they could handle the emotions within their classes.

"When you are sitting in a class and there is an empty desk and everybody knows why the desk is empty, it's not something where you just hold a regular class," Clark said.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image
ABCNEWS.com

Shonti Breisch and Sally Nelson, fiance of Stuart Breisch, search through photos at morgue to find Kali.

previousnext

Latest comments

Even in a win there are cougar fans complaining about the refs. cougar fans...

IN answer to Harmons question: YES!!!!!

Obama has already lost 2012.

THe jazz do not depend on boozer, how well the team does depends on how...

Perfect -- the dumb leading the dumber.

Utes crush Aztecs 38-7

the U program is indebted to you. you represented us well!

Hall breaks BYU record with win

Nice spelling there Billy Bob!!

Glenn Beck to enter politics?

Can't wait. They're both so intelligent.

I served my mission in Massachusetts, where gay marriage is legal. Amazingly,...

@aurum79, Liberalism is a mental disorder! How else can one describe what...

Advertisements