Slain Nursing Student’s Family Expands ‘Mission Michelle’ to Help Others

After suffering a tragic loss earlier this year, the family of slain nursing student is continuing its “Mission Michelle” search campaign to help other Bay Area families.

In a statement released Wednesday, Krystine Dinh, Le’s cousin and spokesperson for the family, announced that the search team would operate under the arm of the KlaasKids Foundation, who aided in their efforts, to help others “manage the nightmare that we went through and are continuing to go through.”

Le, a 26-year-old San Mateo resident, went missing May 27 from the Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Hayward where she was attending clinical rotations.

Immediately after her disappearance, the family launched a tireless search and rescue campaign, held a number of rallies and vigils and kept Le’s story in the media spotlight.

The search efforts ultimately led to on Sept. 17 in a wooded area near Pleasanton. The discovery came 10 days after Hayward police , 27, of Union City, with Le’s murder.

Dinh said the support from the community and volunteers played an integral role in giving the family closure.

“Because of all of you, we have been given the chance to give [Le] a proper goodbye, to carry on and continue our lives with some semblance of normalcy - something many other families of missing loved ones do not get,” Dinh said.

Continuing in Le’s honor, “Mission Michelle” will launch a search and rescue team to help families develop a strategic plan to conduct a thorough missing persons campaign. According to Dinh, the “Mission Michelle” team would work with and operate for families rather than with authorities, allowing them to be involved immediately.

“Time is crucial when a loved one is missing,” Dinh said.

Le’s family is asking those interested in joining the team to attend a general meeting at noon on Nov. 19, though a location has not yet been announced.

Those interested may also request information by emailing missionmichelle@gmail.com.

Related Topics: Missing Nursing Student, Mission Michelle, Search And Rescue, and michelle le