After his daughter was abducted, a father never gave up on finding her. For six long years, he tirelessly searched, holding onto the hope that he would one day be reunited with his little girl. Each day, he prayed for her safety, yearning for her return.

The fear of losing a child is every parent’s nightmare. The sheer panic and dread that sets in when a child goes missing is overwhelming, and for one father, this nightmare became a reality. For six years, he held onto hope, praying for his daughter’s safe return.

In 2017, when Kayla Unbehaun disappeared, her father, Ryan Iskerka, never lost faith. Despite the years that passed, he remained steadfast in his belief that he would one day see his daughter again. Social media became an outlet for him to express his deep longing, often posting messages about how much he missed Kayla, even though he had no way of knowing if she was safe or even alive.

On January 5, 2023, Ryan sent a heartfelt message to his missing daughter on her 15th birthday. “I think of you every day, hoping and praying that you are safe, happy, and that you will come back into my life soon,” he wrote, conveying the immense void her absence had created in his life.

Ryan had been granted full custody of Kayla after a contentious court battle with her mother, Heather Unbehaun. However, after Kayla’s abduction, Ryan couldn’t help but wonder if his daughter would ever remember the love and precious memories they had shared as a family. Despite the passage of time and the dimming hope, he continued to pray for her return, reminding her through his posts, “I’ve loved you through all of this.”

At the time of Kayla’s abduction, the family lived in South Elgin, Illinois. Ryan’s hope wavered but never extinguished as the years passed. He recounted the details of the abduction, explaining how Kayla was taken without his consent or knowledge by her non-custodial mother.

Ryan recalled how his ex-wife, Heather, had taken their daughter without his permission. Although their marriage had its challenges, Ryan and Heather had initially been happy together. However, after Kayla was born, their relationship deteriorated, leading to a bitter custody battle. Ultimately, they were granted joint custody of Kayla.

Six years after Kayla’s disappearance, Ryan finally received the news he had been praying for. He revealed that while he didn’t oppose Heather’s decision to move to Athens, Georgia, with Kayla, he wanted to ensure that he would still be able to see his daughter regularly. However, while they were finalizing the visitation arrangement, Heather packed up and moved without notifying Ryan.

After learning about the move through a phone call from Kayla, Ryan filed for child support and visitation rights, actions that Heather interpreted as an attack. She fought the visitation schedule in court, making it increasingly difficult for Ryan to spend time with his daughter.

During this period, Ryan had limited contact with Kayla. He only saw her in person during Heather’s Christmas visit and could only speak with her over Skype for a few hours at a time. As their time apart grew, Ryan noticed a change in his daughter’s behavior; she became distant, and their once-close relationship began to suffer.

Despite the challenges, Ryan was eventually awarded full custody of Kayla. However, in July, after Kayla had moved in with him, Heather took her on a camping trip and never returned. When Ryan went to pick up his daughter on July 5, Heather and Kayla were gone. Heather’s father’s house, where Ryan was supposed to meet them, was empty and locked. On July 29, 2017, a felony arrest warrant was issued for Heather. Despite the uncertainty and fear, Ryan wrote to his daughter, promising never to give up on her.

Finally, after six years of searching, Ryan received the news he had been waiting for. In May 2023, a store worker in Asheville, North Carolina, recognized Kayla and immediately contacted the police. The employee, who chose to remain anonymous, simply stated, “It was the right thing to do,” when asked why she made the call.

The sighting led to Kayla’s recovery, and Heather was soon arrested by the Asheville Police. She was detained at the Buncombe County Detention Facility in North Carolina with a bond set at $250,000.

Kayla’s case had garnered significant attention over the years, thanks in part to the Facebook group “Bring Kayla Home” created by Ryan and his family. The group was instrumental in raising awareness and keeping the case in the public eye. The store clerk who recognized Kayla had seen her story on “Unsolved Mysteries,” a Netflix series that featured her disappearance.

Ryan expressed his profound gratitude to everyone who helped keep the case alive. “I’m overjoyed that Kayla is home safe,” he said, thanking all the law enforcement agencies involved, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the South Elgin Police Department.

However, Ryan acknowledged that his relationship with Kayla had suffered due to their six-year separation. He requested privacy as they worked to rebuild their bond. But one thing was certain—Ryan would never let his daughter slip away from him again. “There is nothing I want more than to have you back in my life,” he had written in a 2012 letter. Now, his wish had finally come true.