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ByFeliciaFonseca TheAssociatedPress PRESCOTT,ARIZ. Thesmall Arizona town where Kayla Jean Mueller grew up be- gan gathering in grief Tues- day upon learning that the 26-year-old aid worker who traveled the world on a quest to help others died while in the hands of Is- lamic State militants. A small memorial on the courthouse plaza began to grow rapidly as word spread that Mueller's death had been confirmed. The Islamic State group reported Friday that Muller, whose 18-month captivity had largely been kept se- cret in an effort to save her, had died in a recent Jorda- nian airstrike targeting the militants. On Tuesday, her parents and U.S. officials said they were now certain of her death, although of- ficials said they could not confirm how she died. "What a fine, fine woman and a tribute to Prescott," said 15-year resident Tina Nemeth. "It's just so sad, it really is, and everyone feels exactly the same. It's a shock it hit Prescott. We're not that big of a town." The former territo- rial capital of Arizona has only recently begun to re- cover from a devastating 2013 wildfire that claimed the lives of 19 members of an elite firefighting squad. Stickers featuring the fire crew's logo and bearing the number "19" are still fixed to vehicles all around the town of 40,000 people. The mountain town's pic- turesque courthouse lawn is still recognizable to some outsiders as the site of the dramatic martial-arts fight scene in the 1971 film "Billy Jack." On Tuesday, it was filled with members of the media waiting to hear from Muel- ler's family, which lives about 10 minutes away at the end of a winding dirt road. Sheriff's deputies have blocked the road since Fri- day. "We are heartbroken to share that we've received confirmation that Kayla Jean Mueller, has lost her life," Mueller's parents, Carl and Marsha Mueller, said in a statement released earlier. "Kayla was a compassionate and devoted humanitarian. She dedicated the whole of her young life to helping those in need of freedom, justice, and peace." President Barack Obama said Mueller, who assisted humanitarian organiza- tions working with Syrian refugees, "epitomized all that is good in our world." "No matter how long it takes, the United States will find and bring to justice the terrorists who are responsi- ble for Kayla's captivity and death," the president said. The White House said Obama had spoken with Mueller's parents and of- fered his condolences and prayers. Mueller is the fourth American to die while being held by Islamic State mili- tants. Three other Ameri- cans — journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid worker Peter Kas- sig — were beheaded by the group. Journalist Austin Tice disappeared in August 2012 while covering Syr- ia's civil war. It's not clear what entity is holding him, but it is not believed to be the Islamic State group or the Syrian government, his family has said. Mueller was taken hos- tage in August 2013 while leaving a hospital in Syria. Her identity was long kept secret out of fears for her safety. Jordan, which has launched a barrage of strikes in recent days in re- taliation for the gruesome killing of one of its pilots at the hands of the militants, disputed the group's report of Mueller's death. In the U.S., there was growing certainty that the claim from IS about the airstrike was false. White House spokesman Josh Ear- nest said that Jordan's air- strikes had targeted an IS weapons compound near the group's stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria that had been targeted be- fore, and that there was no evidence of civilians in the area ahead of the strike. Added a U.S. intelligence official: "She was not killed in that airstrike." Mueller's parents re- leased a letter Tuesday that their daughter had written them while in captivity. In the undated letter, Muel- ler said she was, "in a safe location, completely un- harmed." "I am also fighting from my side in the ways I am able + I have a lot of fight left inside of me," she wrote. "I am not breaking down + I will not give in no matter how long it takes." 'HEARTBROKEN' ParentsofAmericanwomanheld by Islamic State confirm her death JO.L.KEENER‑THEASSOCIATEDPRESS Kayla Mueller is shown a er speaking to a group in Prescott, Ariz. Thank you! PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. The Associated Press The family of Kayla Jean Mueller said Tues- day it had received con- firmation that she died while being held by Is- lamic State militants. The Mueller family released a letter it said she had written last year. Here is the text, as provided by the family, which also re- dacted some portions: __ Everyone, If you are receiving this letter it means I am still detained but my cell mates (start- ing from 1 /2014) have been released. I have asked them to contact you + send you this letter. It's hard to know what to say. Please know that I am in a safe location, completely unharmed + healthy (put on weight in fact); I have been treated w/ the utmost respect + kindness. I wanted to write you all a well thought out letter (but I didn't know if my cell mates would be leaving in the coming days or the coming months restrict- ing my time but primar- ily) I could only but write the letter a paragraph at a time, just the thought of you all sends me into a fit of tears. If you could say I have "suffered" at all through- out this whole experi- ence it is only in know- ing how much suffering I have put you all through; I will never ask you to forgive me as I do not de- serve forgiveness. I re- member mom always tell- ing me that all in all in the end the only one you really have is God. I have come to a place in ex- perience where, in ev- ery sense of the word, I have surrendered myself to our creator b/c liter- ally there was no else.. + by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cra- dled in freefall. I have been shown in darkness, light + have learned that even in prison, one can be free. I am grateful. I have come to see that there is good in every situation, sometimes we just have to look for it. I pray each each day that if nothing else, you have felt a cer- tain closeness + surren- der to God as well + have formed a bond of love + support amongst one an- other. I miss you all as if it has been a decade of forced separation. I have had many a long hour to think, to think of all the things I will do w/ Lex, our first family camp- ing trip, the first meet- ing @ the airport. I have had many hours to think how only in your absence have I finally @ 25 years old come to realize your place in my life. The gift that is each one of you + the person I could + could not be if you were not a part of my life, my family, my sup- port. I DO NOT want the negotiations for my re- lease to be your duty, if there is any other op- tion take it, even if it takes more time. This should never have be- come your burden. I have asked these women to support you; please seek their advice. If you have not done so already, (RE- DACTED) can contact (REDACTED) who may have a certain level of ex- perience with these peo- ple. None of us could have known it would be this long but know I am also fighting from my side in the ways I am able + I have a lot of fight left inside of me. I am not breaking down + I will not give in no matter how long it takes. I wrote a song some months ago that says, "The part of me that pains the most also gets me out of bed, w/out your hope there would be nothing left." aka_The thought of your pain is the source of my own, si- multaneously the hope of our reunion is the source of my strength. Please be patient, give your pain to God. I know you would want me to remain strong. That is exactly what I am doing. Do not fear for me, continue to pray as will I + by God's will we will be together soon. 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