SARTELL -- It was frigid Thursday night as folks came out to honor their loved ones who have passed during the What Would Bri Do, Angel of Hope Candlelight Vigil.

So cold in fact that the organization moved the event from outside to inside the Sartell Community Center.

Brenda Bollig is the Board Secretary for What Would Bri Do. She'd been involved with the organization for about a year. She first met the founder of WWBD, Tami Kruzel, at last year's vigil.

"Tami and I have a mutual friend where we were introduced at this particular event last year and it kind of brought some of those feelings that you need to remember your loved one. There's a place of solace, there's a place of hope."

Bollig's brother died about 25-years ago. Meanwhile, Kruzel's daughter BriAnna passed in 2013. Kruzel soon after formed What Would Bri Do, a Sartell based non-profit that focuses on helping people through their grief journey.

The Angel of Hope it's a statue is known as a Christmas Box Angel. Bollig says a ceremony takes place every December 6 for every Christmas Box Angel.

"It is a dedication ceremony that is held annually around the world for all of the Christmas Box Angels, that was started by the famous author Richard Paul Evans. Our Angel of Hope was dedicated on December 6, 2016, in Sartell."

The angel represents children who have passed too soon. However, What Would Bri Do strongly believes that everyone is a child of someone.

The candlelight vigil typically takes place at the Angel of Hope. However, Thursday night's temperature was chilly two degrees during the ceremony time so it moved inside.

This was the 3rd annual Angel of Hope Candlelight Vigil.

Chrissy Gaetke, WJON
Chrissy Gaetke, WJON
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