Kayla Unbehaun, who went missing for 9 years, has been found after her father prayed every day for six years to find her alive..

The father never stopped searching for his daughter after she was kidnapped. Even after six years of constant searching, the father never lost hope of finding his little girl. Every day he prays for his health and prays that one day he will be restored to him.

Every parent is afraid of losing their child. Finding a lost loved one strikes fear into the heart of almost every mom and dad. For a father, that fear happened, and he prayed six years later for his daughter to come home safely.

Kayla Onbehon went missing in 2017 and her father hopes to see his little girl again one day. Although he has no way to contact her or know that she is healthy and happy, he sometimes posts on social media to say how much he appreciates his daughter. ..

On Thursday, January 5, 2023, Ryan Iskerka wrote a long birthday message to his missing girl, congratulating her on turning 15. In the note, he explained how much he missed Kayla and wrote, “I think of you every day hoping and praying that you are safe, happy, and that you will come back into my life soon.”

After Heather tried to subvert Ryan in court, it was ruled that Ryan would have sole custody over their daughter.
With Kayla missing for six years, Ryan wondered whether she remembered how much he loved her and all the happy times they spent together as a family. Although the dad’s hope threatened to give in with every passing day, he kept on praying for Kayla’s return, writing, “And I’ve loved you through all of this.”

At the time of Kayla’s disappearance, the family was based in South Elgin, Illinois. Ryan doubted he would ever see his daughter again but kept hoping. He opened up about the theft and revealed that Kayla’s non-custodial mother had taken him without his consent and without his knowledge.

How Kayla Lost
Ryan shared the story of his ex-wife taking their daughter without her consent. At first, he and Kayla’s mother, Heather Unbehaun, were married, although problems arose in their relationship. Shortly after welcoming Kayla, they decide to go their separate ways, leading to a long custody battle. Eventually, the two were awarded joint custody of Kayla.

After six years of searching for his daughter, Ryan receives good news.
Ryan revealed that Heather wanted to move to Athens, Georgia with Kayla, and while he didn’t stop her, he wanted to make sure she still wanted to see her daughter. As they set up a meeting Heather packs up and leaves without telling Ryan.

When Ryan found out about the move while talking to Kayla, he decided to file for child support and supervision, which Heather didn’t like. The father said Heather thought her actions were a “declaration of war”. They went to court and Heather did everything she could to delay the appointment.

During this legal battle, Ryan did not see his daughter. He talked to Kayla for a few hours on Skype, and saw that Heather was back in town for the holidays. The time apart took a toll on Ryan’s relationship with his daughter, and he often found himself estranged.

After Heather tried to take Ryan to court, it was decided that Ryan would have sole custody of their daughter. Kayla moved in with Ryan, and in July Heather took Kayla on a camping trip. When it came time for Ryan to pick up his daughter on July 5th, he hadn’t heard from Heather.

Ryan arrives at Heather’s father’s house, where he picks up Kayla, but it is locked and empty. On July 29, 2017, a warrant was issued for Heather’s arrest. “I will never leave you,” Ryan wrote to his daughter after she was kidnapped.

The Return of Kayla
After six years of searching for her daughter, Ryan receives good news. Kayla was found at a store in Asheville, North Carolina in May 2023 by a store employee who knew her. She contacted the police soon after seeing her in the store, and the authorities responded.

The store employee wanted to remain anonymous and asked for the name of the store where she works to also be kept out of the papers. She did comment on why she decided to call the police, saying simply, “It was the right thing to do.”

Following the successful search for Kayla, Lt. Diana Loveland from Asheville encouraged other people to report similar sightings in the future:

“It is unusual, but it’s good that when someone does suspect that they recognize someone, no matter how old the story might be, that they are not afraid to give us a call so we can come to investigate.”

The Asheville Police soon apprehended Heather, who was sent to the Buncombe County Detention Facility in North Carolina, where she was kept on a $250,000 bond.

Luckily, Kayla’s case received a large amount of attention over the years. Ryan and the rest of his family made a Facebook group, “Bring Kayla Home,” which was dedicated to sharing news and spreading awareness about the abduction. Kayla’s disappearance was also featured in the Netflix series Unsolved Mysteries, where a store employee recognized Kayla.

Ryan thanked everyone who kept the project alive and spread awareness. “So glad Kayla is home safe,” the dad wrote. “I want to thank the South Elgin Police Department, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and all law enforcement agencies that assisted in his case.”

Ryan’s relationship with his daughter was six years apart. In his statement, he asked for privacy while slowly rebuilding his relationship with Kayla. But the devoted father will not let his daughter walk again through his arms. “Nothing is better than having you back in my life,” he wrote in 2012. And now he is.