A music lover and a lifelong learner, Sladjana Petrovic embodied so much, say friends. She had an enduring thirst for knowledge and a kind spirit that touched many in Yellowknife.
Months after her disappearance in December, police announced on Saturday that PetrovicSA国际影视传媒檚 body had been located in a wooded area just off of the Pat McMahon Frame Lake Trail. Her body was recovered late in the evening on May 1, said Yellowknife .
The discovery brought an end to months of uncertainty for PetrovicSA国际影视传媒檚 friends and family.
Serbian-born, Petrovic had lived in the NWT capital for some 20 years, where she gained a small, close-knit circle of friends. She had no family here. Petrovic, 60, was last seen leaving her downtown apartment heading toward the Frame Lake area on Dec. 26.
Extensive searches, led by Yellowknife , turned up nothing. International inquiries to European authorities offered no clues as to her whereabouts.
Her sudden disappearance sparked a campaign, led by close friends and acquaintances, to find Petrovic.
Val Braden knew Petrovic for more than 20 years. Val, along with her daughter Carmen Braden and Yellowknife Centre MLA Julie Green, set out to spread the word about PetrovicSA国际影视传媒檚 disappearance last winter. They held a news conference. They put up hundreds of missing person posters across town. Billboards bearing her smiling face were erected. They produced SA国际影视传媒淔ind SladjanaSA国际影视传媒� buttons -- distributed to Yellowknifers across the city.
They held their grasp on hope.
With the recent, tragic news, Val said friends of Petrovic can begin to move toward closure.
SA国际影视传媒業SA国际影视传媒檓 glad that she was found. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 not the result we wanted but ISA国际影视传媒檓 glad we know where she is,SA国际影视传媒� Braden said.
Following the recovery of PetrovicSA国际影视传媒檚 body, Green, an acquaintance of Petrovic, said the development brings SA国际影视传媒渙pportunity for closure.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭o have a resolution, even though itSA国际影视传媒檚 a sad resolution, is so much better than always wondering,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淪o ISA国际影视传媒檓 very grateful that she was found and ISA国际影视传媒檓 very grateful to the for their efforts to find her."
After suspended searches and months of uncertainty, Green said friends and family knew theySA国际影视传媒檇 hit a wall in the search for Petrovic.
SA国际影视传媒淲e knew weSA国际影视传媒檇 kind of come to a stall at the end of January with no new tips. So we were hopeful when the snow started to go that we may learn something more. And we did, so as I say I feel thatSA国际影视传媒檚 helpful to me and ISA国际影视传媒檓 hopeful itSA国际影视传媒檚 helpful to her family as well. Although thereSA国际影视传媒檚 mystery around why she left her apartment and why she ended up where she did, we do know where she is so thatSA国际影视传媒檚 helpful,SA国际影视传媒� said Green.
Val said sheSA国际影视传媒檒l remember Petrovic as a SA国际影视传媒渇un personSA国际影视传媒� who was always interested in activities in the community.
SA国际影视传媒淪he loved her time at the English Language Learning and Activities that she had done over the years. She made lots of friends there. She enjoyed learning all the time. She enjoyed reading, music and tennis -- all of those things for different people; she was involved in their lives in different ways,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
She added that itSA国际影视传媒檚 too early to speak to plans for a celebration of life for Petrovic.
