Kayla Unbehaun, Who Vanished at 9, Was Found after Dad Prayed Every Day for 6 Years to Find Her Alive

A father never gave up on finding his daughter after she was abducted. Even after six years of constant searching, the dad never lost hope of one day finding his little girl. He prayed for her safety every day, begging she would one day be returned to him.

Every parent dreads the thought of losing their child. Finding a beloved little one missing strikes fear into the heart of almost every mother and father out there. For one dad, this fear came true, and he spent the next six years of his life praying for his daughter to return home safely.

Kayla Unbehaun went missing in 2017, and her dad kept on hoping he would one day get to see his little girl again. Although he had no way of communicating with her or knowing whether she was safe and happy, he occasionally posted on social media to express how much he missed 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 abduction, revealing it was Kayla’s non-custodial mother who took her from him without permission and without letting him know.

How Kayla Went Missing
Ryan shared the story of how his ex-wife took his daughter without his permission. Initially, he and Kayla’s mother, Heather Unbehaun, were happily married, although problems arose in their relationship. Shortly after they welcomed Kayla, they decided to go their separate ways, which led to a lengthy custody battle. They were finally both awarded shared custody of Kayla.

After six years of looking for his daughter, Ryan finally received some good news.
Ryan revealed Heather wanted to move to Athens, Georgia, with Kayla, and although he wouldn’t stand in her way, he wanted to be sure he would still get to see his daughter. They were in the process of setting up a visitation schedule when Heather packed their things and moved without telling Ryan.

When Ryan found out about the move while talking to Kayla on the phone, he decided to file for child support and visitation rights, which didn’t sit well with Heather. The dad commented that Heather saw his actions as “a declaration of war.” They went to court, and Heather did everything she could to delay the visitation schedule.

During this legal battle, Ryan barely got to see his daughter. He was only able to talk to Kayla for a few hours at a time on Skype and only saw her in person when Heather was back in town over the holidays. The time apart took a toll on Ryan’s relationship with his daughter, and he noticed she would often be distant.

After Heather tried to subvert Ryan in court, it was ruled that Ryan would have sole custody over their daughter. Kayla moved in with Ryan, and in July, Heather picked Kayla up for a camping trip. When the time came for Ryan to pick his daughter up on July 5, he had heard nothing from Heather.

Ryan arrived at Heather’s father’s house, where he was supposed to pick Kayla up, but the place was locked and empty. On July 29, 2017, a felony arrest warrant for Heather was released. Ryan wrote to his daughter after the abduction, “I will never give up on you.”

Getting Kayla Back
After six years of looking for his daughter, Ryan finally received some good news. Kayla was spotted in a shop in Asheville, North Carolina, in May 2023, by a store clerk who recognized 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 on Netflix’s “Unsolved Mysteries,” which was where the store clerk recognized Kayla from.

Ryan thanked everyone who kept the case alive and spread awareness. The dad wrote, “I’m overjoyed that Kayla is home safe. I want to thank the South Elgin Police Department, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and all of the law enforcement agencies who assisted with her case.”

Six years apart has taken a toll on Ryan’s relationship with his daughter. In his statement, he asked for privacy while he slowly rebuilt his relationship with Kayla. But the dedicated dad won’t allow his daughter to slip through his fingers again. He wrote in 2012, “There is nothing I want more than to have you back in my life.” And now she is.

Related Posts

THEY TOLD US HE DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY—BUT HIS DOG KNEW BETTER Nobody could get Rex to move. He stood like a statue at the casket, paw resting on the edge, nose pressed to the wood like he was waiting for a signal. One last command. Something to explain why the voice he knew better than his own heartbeat had suddenly gone silent. Officer Grant was the best handler on the force. Everybody said so. Clean record, sharp instincts, calm under pressure. And he loved that dog like it was family. No—more than family. So when they said it was a “routine traffic stop gone bad,” none of us questioned it. Not out loud, anyway. But Rex didn’t believe it. You could see it in the way he sniffed the edges of the casket, searching—not for closure, but for proof. For something that made sense. I was standing a few rows back when the dog did something strange. He stepped back. Looked directly at the guy holding his leash. Then growled. Low. Quiet. But unmistakable. The leash officer froze. You don’t ignore a K9 when it reacts like that. And then, as the priest kept speaking, I saw what Rex saw. A patch of tan fabric stuck to the sole of a man’s shoe. Right in the front row. Civilian clothes. No badge. No tears. Just watching like he was waiting for it to be over. Rex growled again. And this time, I saw the patch too. It had a bloodstain. And three letters barely visible under the smear: “IA—” ⬇️ (continue reading in the first cᴑmment)

Nobody could get Rex to move. He stood like a statue at the casket, paw resting on the edge, nose pressed to the wood like he was…

HE BUYS HER THE SAME ROSES EVERY WEEK—EVEN THOUGH SHE DOESN’T REMEMBER WHY We saw him every Thursday around 3pm. Same motorized cart. Same yellow JEGS hat. And always—always—the same bouquet of red roses in the basket. He’d roll straight past the deli, turn into the floral section, pick the fullest bunch, and sniff them like it still meant something. My coworker Kira asked him once, “Special occasion today?” He just smiled and said, “Not today. Just Thursday.” That week, I decided to follow him out—just curious. He loaded his groceries into a beige sedan with shaky hands. Took his time, wiped the dashboard like it mattered, then opened the passenger door. That’s when I saw her. She looked elegant even in a worn cardigan. Gray hair pulled back with a velvet ribbon. Eyes wide and blank, like she was somewhere else entirely. He handed her the roses without a word. She looked at them like she’d never seen a flower before. Then smiled. “Are these from the man who used to bring me flowers?” she asked. He paused for half a second. Then nodded. “Yeah, sweetheart. Every Thursday.” He kissed her forehead and helped her buckle in. I stood there watching like a fool, heart in my throat. And I couldn’t stop thinking about how much it must hurt—being remembered as a stranger by the person who once knew everything about you. But the next week? He came back. Same time. Same hat. Same roses. Only this time, he grabbed a second bouquet too. And tucked a note into that one. I saw it slip out as he turned the cart—folded, handwritten, with just three words showing: “In case she…”⬇️

We saw him every Thursday around 3pm. Same motorized cart. Same yellow JEGS hat. And always—always—the same bouquet of red roses in the basket. He’d roll straight…

HE RETURNED HER TRASH CAN EVERY WEEK—BUT TODAY, SOMETHING WAS DIFFERENT It was just another morning. Another trash pickup. But then I saw him—the same sanitation worker I’d noticed before. He didn’t just empty the can and leave. He carefully wheeled it all the way back to the side door of the small brick house, just like he always did. No rush. No hesitation. Just quiet kindness. Curious, I approached the elderly woman sitting on her porch. She smiled softly. “That man? He’s been doing that for me every week,” she said. “Since my husband passed, I can’t bring it back myself.” I glanced back at him, feeling something heavy settle in my chest. But then I noticed… he wasn’t heading back to the truck right away. He just stood there, staring at the house. Something was wrong. And the moment I realized why—my stomach dropped.⬇️ (continue reading in the first cᴑmment)

It was just another morning. Another trash pickup. But then I saw him—the same sanitation worker I’d noticed before. He didn’t just empty the can and leave….

Many people don’t know what its purpose is used for 🤔 but now that I know, I don’t know if I wanted to know 👇😅 check in comms:

The brightly colored fabric strip may appear pointless at first, and visitors frequently take it off for comfort. In addition to complete sets of pillows, blankets, and…

I ADOPTED A 4-YEAR-OLD BOY—ALL SEEMED PERFECT UNTIL HE SHOWED ME HIS DRAWING I always dreamed of having kids, but life didn’t go the way I planned. After years of hoping and waiting, I realized maybe my path was meant to be different. That’s when I met Joey, a little boy who needed a home just as much as I needed him. From the moment he reached for my hand, I knew I was finally a mom. A week after Joey moved in, I planned his FIRST REAL BIRTHDAY. I wanted it to feel special—balloons, pancakes, presents carefully picked out just for him. We laughed in the kitchen, making a total mess, and for a moment, I thought he finally felt safe. But when he opened his gift, his smile faded. By the time we sat down with the cake, HE WASN’T EVEN LOOKING AT ME! Just staring at the candle like it wasn’t real… I nudged the plate toward him, waiting for that little spark of joy. Instead, he looked up, eyes full of something I couldn’t place. And that’s when he said it, quiet but sharp enough to break me: “My birthday was YESTERDAY.” “But… the documents say it’s today,” I whispered. “They made a MISTAKE. It’s my brother’s…” he answered. My heart stopped. “Wait. Your BROTHER??” He was silent for a moment, then finally added, “YOU HAVE TO SEE SOMETHING.” Then, he reached under his pillow and pulled out a small wooden box. He opened it and took out a folded piece of paper, handing it to me. I looked at it… and oh my God! ⬇

My adopted son stared at his birthday cake in silence. Then, tears rolled down his cheeks. “My birthday was yesterday,” he whispered. My stomach dropped—the documents said today. What…

After going through numerous challenges, Carrie Underwood and her husband decided to move to a farm.. (check in first comment👇)

Carrie Underwood, having grown up on a farm, developed a love for gardening and organic living. She considers her garden a “happy place” where she can reflect….