The Christmas holiday in one family was marred by deep sorrow and trauma when they tragically and unexpectedly lost their beloved husband and father. After her father’s untimely death, a little girl turned to Santa for help.
Nicoele and Joshua Mitchell lived with their beautiful family in Douglasville, Atlanta, Georgia. They were the loving parents of three beautiful daughters – Jaida, Sa’Maya, and Sa’Raya. Just a week before Christmas 2022, something happened in their family that changed their world.
On Saturday, December 17, 2022, 37-year-old Joshua was returning home from work when he was struck by a terrible tragedy that ended his life. The local police reported that he had died outside his home in the driveway, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds that proved fatal and led to his death.
According to the authorities, officers responded to a 911 call after neighbors heard shots being fired in the area; however, they were yet to determine the shooter’s identity. A week after the heart-stopping incident when Christmas came, the Mitchells were swept over with sheer sorrow.
The distraught woman expressed she would always find solace in those three magical words and replay that scene in her head.
A Kind, Loving & Selfless Soul
While a heartbroken Nicoele struggled to come to terms with her husband’s death, she couldn’t help but feel for her daughters. She described Joshua as a caring husband, a loving dad, and the most selfless person she had ever met who never hesitated to help people, even on the streets.
Joshua was a highly respected Marine, an entrepreneur, and an affectionate stepdad. Nicoele said her husband had only tender love and care for his children, and his absence left a gaping hole in their hearts. The teary-eyed mother recalled:
“The fact that it happened before Christmas will always be a conversation of ‘when we lost daddy.'”
The Little Girl’s Letter to Santa
Joshua’s three young princesses were left crippled by his death and missed him immensely, especially little Sa’Raya. Her pain and longing for her dear daddy were evident from the fact that on Christmastime, she was prepared to forgo presents for nothing but one heartfelt wish.
The little girl sat down and penned an emotional letter to Father Christmas, where she pleaded with him to return her dad because she loved him with every fiber of her being. The seven-year-old girl’s touching note read in part:
“I want God to bring him back…I [am] getting good grades, and I [am] good at school.”
Holding Onto Her Favorite Memory
Nicoele, a mom of three and stepmom of one, said she would forever hold onto the golden memories she shared with her husband, adding that he had a heart of gold. One of those fondest moments was when Joshua confessed his love to her and gently kissed her before leaving for work.
The distraught woman expressed she would always find solace in those three magical words and replay that scene in her head. While little Sa’Raya’s Christmas wish was to get her daddy back, Nicoele said she wanted nothing more than justice for her husband.
Messages of Support
When the Mitchell family’s story of profound heartbreak, loss, trauma, and soul-crushing grief was shared online, it garnered support and condolences from netizens far and wide. Here are a few comments that people shared for the bereaved family:
“How heartbreaking poor baby girl (sic)..”
— (@DebbieLousLash) December 29, 2022
“How absolutely heartbreaking. My prayers and condolences are with the family during this difficult time.”
— (@jennifer.magnonelara) December 29, 2022
“Prayers for her and her family.”
— (@bunny.hines.7) December 28, 2022
“So heartbreaking sending prayers for the family (sic).”
— (@barbara.spencerapolo) December 28, 2022
“I know the feeling. Lost my dad a year ago, and I still can’t stop missing him. Poor princess is so young, it’s painful. Praying for her peace.”
— (@JayLovePoindexter) December 28, 2022
“This breaks my heart. My daughter lost her dad when she was 7. The next year, she sat on Santa’s lap and when he asked what she wanted, she told him ‘I want my dad.’ There wasn’t a dry eye there.”
— (@tammy.wondra) December 28, 2022
“How absolutely heartbreaking. My prayers and condolences are with the family during this difficult time.”
— (@jennifer.magnonelara) December 29, 2022
“Thoughts, prayers and love sent.”
— (@jaiden.love) December 29, 2022
“POOR LITTLE GIRL, JUST AWFUL!!”
— (@mary.peryer.3) December 29, 2022
“So sad to hear a child suffering like…I hope this little girl is surrounded by love daily (sic).”
— (@pollyana.ferreira.739) December 29, 2022
We send our deepest condolences to the Mitchells as they navigate life in the wake of their irreparable loss. Please keep Nicoele and her little girls in your thoughts and prayers.
