NEWS RELEASE Contact: Doug Kelley Phone: 612-371-9090 Date: November 21, 2016 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE STATEMENT OF THE WETTERLING FAMILY IN REPONSE TO HEINRICH SENTENCING Wetterling Family Statement Once again, we would like to thank you for your steadfast support. We have a lot of healing to get through from the moment we heard of the possibility of a Plea Agreement on August 29" to Jacob’s remains being found on August 31 to 5 days later, September 5", hearing from the sheriff what Heinrich said he had done, to the less than 24 hours later, September 6, hearing Heinrich’s confession in court, the time line has been stunning. Nearly 27 years of searching ending in basically less than 8 days. We planned the family burial and the public Memorial Service with a lot of help from the communities of St. Joseph, the College and the Sisters of St. Benedict, St. John’s Monastery and volunteers from all over the state and nation. We couldn't be more grateful for the beautiful services and tribute to honor Jacob. Each one of us has struggled to resume daily activities and work, face the sadness, to be together for each other and be there for our own families, to hear and affirm the pain of so many victims of sexual assault and some of Heinrich’s other victims, to write victim impact statements and to recognize that our world has once again forever changed. We are so grateful for the collaborative effort that it took to find our answers. We want to thank everyone who works in law enforcement, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the many other victims in the St. Joseph and Paynesville area and our dear friends Jared and Joy for their commitment to helping find Jacob, We do also appreciate the media support over the decades of coverage and reminding all of us to never give up. We are getting stronger every day and we will deal with the finality of the search for answers, but like many other realities of life, healing has its ebbs and flows. We are feeling good one moment and may be in tears from hearing a song that touches our hearts the next moment. It’s OK. It’s all part of the life management skills that we have had to acquire like so many other victims of violent crimes.We have been lifted by the many, many creative ideas and activities that are happening to honor the “Eleven” campaign and all of the support of the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center. It is certainly a clear picture of what can happen when good people pull together and work to build a better, more loving and supportive world where children and adults can be safe and follow their dreams, Thank you all for believing in hope and helping to make our hopes a reality. Jacob’s Hope lives in the hearts and minds and actions of good people all over the planet. Jacob, we love you and we carry you in our hearts and minds every day. We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. Patty and Jerry Wetterling Amy, Trevor, Carmen and all of our loving families Jacob Wetterling Resource Center - 651-714-4673,