Whitney Decker reveals '3 feelings' tradition at emotional WA memorial for daughters
Mother of slain Wenatchee girls speaks at public memorial
Whitney Decker, the mother of Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker, spoke publicly at a memorial in Wenatchee Friday evening.
WENATCHEE, Wash. - Whitney Decker, mother of Paityn, 9; Evelyn, 8; and Olivia, 5, made her first public appearance on Friday, June 20, at a memorial service honoring her daughters.
The three girls were found dead earlier this month after an AMBER Alert was issued when they were not returned to their mother following a court-mandated visitation. Their father, Travis Decker, remains at large and is actively sought by law enforcement.
An emotional memorial in Wenatchee, WA
Hundreds gathered at Rocky Reach Park in Wenatchee for the public memorial. Attendees were encouraged to wear purple, pink, and green in honor of the Decker girls and brought their own candles or glow sticks for the evening event.
What they're saying:
Whitney Decker addressed the crowd, expressing gratitude for the community's support and reflecting on her daughters' personalities and a unique family practice.
"I just have a short something to share. Good evening, and thank you all for being here. I really appreciate it," Decker said. "You all look beautiful, and I know that Evie would have loved to ooh and ah over all of your outfits. She would have been amazed by all the color out there and just thought you guys look fantastic."
Decker shared how her oldest, Paityn, consistently complimented others.
"Paityn would have sought each and every one of you out to try to find something to give you a compliment for. She did that for everyone, whether it was in the grocery store or at school or with me, always telling me, ‘oh, you look so beautiful, Mom, I love your earrings,’ or whatever it was that she could find."
The Decker girls and their mother Whitney Decker. (FOX 13 Seattle)
‘The three feelings’ nightly tradition
She then spoke about a family tradition called "the three feelings," which emerged after her divorce. This practice involved her asking each daughter nightly about three feelings they experienced that day and what was happening when they felt those emotions.
"For Paityn, she always had more than three. Consistently eager to tell me about every minute of her day," Decker recounted.
For Evelyn, the discussions were one-on-one, while Olivia was still learning to describe her feelings, with "happy" always being one of them.
Decker noted that her daughters would ensure she also shared her three feelings.
"I'm so thankful for the time that I had with the girls. And how the three feelings allowed us to connect when the world slowed down. And it really gave me an inside look into their day," she said. "I believe doing this with them allowed them to come into the world with open hearts and kindness."
Public memorial held for Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker
A community memorial was held in Wenatchee for Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia, who investigators believe were killed by their father, Travis Decker, who remains at large. Hundreds gathered, dressed in the girls' favorite colors, to hear tributes from family, including their mother, and honor their lives with songs, prayers, and a candlelight vigil.
Manhunt for Travis Decker continues
The backstory:
The tragic events unfolded after the girls were reported missing on May 30 when their father, Travis Decker, 32, did not return them from a court-mandated visitation. An AMBER Alert was issued. Three days later, the girls' bodies were found near Decker's abandoned vehicle at a Washington campsite.
Travis Decker is charged with three counts of aggravated first-degree murder and kidnapping.
Authorities believe Decker, a military-trained survivalist, is still alive and actively evading capture.
Chelan County Sheriff gives update on Travis Decker manhunt
Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison, joins Seattle News Tonight with an update on the Travis Decker manhunt.
Federal and state law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshals Service, have been intensely searching dense wilderness areas like Teanaway Valley and Blewett Pass.
The Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office has urged residents in these areas to check trail and doorbell cameras for suspicious activity and their residences for anything missing.
The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
During her remarks, Whitney Decker encouraged attendees to adopt a version of "the three feelings" with their own loved ones.
"Thank you everyone for being here tonight and the outpouring of love that you have shown me and my family over the past few weeks," she concluded. "I truly hope that the legacy of the girls lives in everyone's heart forever. They were incredible."
Full transcript of Whitney Decker's remarks at the memorial:
"I just have a short something to share. Good evening, and thank you all for being here. I really appreciate it. You all look beautiful, and I know that Evie would have loved to ooh and ah over all of your outfits. She would have been amazed by all the color out there and just thought you guys look fantastic. You know, Paityn would have sought each and every one of you out to try to find something to give you a compliment for. She did that for everyone, whether it was in the grocery store or at school or with me, always telling me, ‘oh, you look so beautiful, Mom, I love your earrings,’ or whatever it was that she could find. I wanted to share a means of connection the girls and I had that I think allowed them to have such warm and open hearts to the community around them. After my divorce, there were a lot of feelings flowing through my house. As you could imagine, me going through a divorce with three small, tiny women. Some of the feelings were easier to talk about than others. Through the girls' time with Children's Home Society and some incredible therapists, we discovered the three feelings. At night, during their bedtime routine, I would ask them what three feelings they felt during that day. No feeling too big or too small, and what was going on when they felt those feelings. For Peyton, she always had more than three. Consistently eager to tell me about every minute of her day. She was always interrupting her sisters to make sure I knew every single one. For Ev, we would talk about her feelings one-on-one right at bedtime because she wasn't always ready to share them with her sisters. And for Olivia, we were still working on how to describe all of her feelings. But with beyond a shadow of a doubt, one was always happy. Even when I tried to avoid telling my feelings, which is so easy to do as an adult, I feel like the girls, one of them, would always say, 'wait, mom, you didn't tell me what yours were,' and make sure that I, too, would tell them what my three feelings were. I'm so thankful for the time that I had with the girls. And how the three feelings allowed us to connect when the world slowed down. And it really gave me an inside look into their day. I believe doing this with them allowed them to come into the world with open hearts and kindness. I hope that you are all able to do some version of the three feelings with your loved ones. Thank you everyone for being here tonight and the outpouring of love that you have shown me and my family over the past few weeks. I truly hope that the legacy of the girls lives in everyone's heart forever. They were incredible."
How to report tips, sightings
What you can do:
Decker is described as 5' 8" tall, 190 pounds with black hair, brown eyes and was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.
Travis Decker headshot (left), two surveillance images of Decker before his planned visitation (right). (Chelan County Sheriff's Office)
Anyone with information regarding Decker's whereabouts is encouraged to call the CCSO tip line at 509-667-6845 or submit information online.
The Source: Information in this story came from Whitney Decker, the US Marshals Service, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office and the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office.
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