It was during those excruciating days following the discovery of 22-year-old Gabby Petito’s body that the idea for what her parents describe as her legacy began to take shape.
It was Gabby’s mom Nichole Schmidt who announced, “I want to start a foundation.”
Gabby’s three other parents — Gabby’s father Joe Petito, Gabby’s stepmom Tara Petito and Nichole’s husband Jim Schmidt — all agreed. (Gabby’s parents spoke on a panel at CrimeCon 2024 Nashville.)
“There was no hesitation,” says Joe.
It’s been nearly three years since Gabby’s name first appeared in headlines across the nation and around the globe when the budding YouTube blogger disappeared on a cross-country journey with her fiancé Brian Laundrie, 23, in the summer of 2021. Her body was later discovered near a campground in Wyoming. Laundrie, who died by suicide, was found in a nature preserve near his family’s home in North Port, Fla., on Oct. 20, along with a backpack containing what the FBI described as a notebook “claiming responsibility” for Gabby’s strangulation death.
Since then, the two couples have found purpose and healing by using the enormous publicity generated by their daughter’s case to try to prevent similar tragedies from happening to other families.
After her murder, the foursome — who now live two hours from one another in Florida— came together to create the Gabby Petito Foundation and wasted no time learning everything they could about domestic violence.
Gabby and Joe Petito.
The Petito and Schmidt Families
The nonprofit is focused on raising awareness about domestic violence while also creating tougher laws and policies governing how police respond to reports of intimate partner abuse and missing persons.
Gabby’s parents have also championed the National Domestic Violence Hotline— to which they donated $100,000 in 2022 to help build the group’s capacity.
“We have to prevent this from happening to other people,” says Nichole, 45, who worked as a teaching assistant before she became a full-time volunteer and president of the foundation. “It keeps us strong. Gabby works through us. We can’t not do it. We have to move forward and change the world together.”
Adds Joe, 45, a warehouse store chain manager who specializes in policy and legislation for the foundation, “When you help one person, you … help change the course of their life in a positive way, and you want to do that again.”
Joe adds, “We get emails and messages on social media on how many people have left their bad relationships because of Gabby’s story.”
Jim, 42, who focuses on domestic violence awareness training for first responders for the foundation, says it is “overwhelming” how many people are affected by the crime. “It really made us come to the realization they need a lot of help out there, and if we can just help one or two along the way, it goes a long way,” he says.
Gabby Petito.
The Petito & Schmidt Families
Starting the foundation after Gabby’s death was “difficult”, says Tara, 43, who worked in real estate before volunteering her time to the foundation, where she works as an administrator.
“We were all still grieving,” she says.
But they’re thankful to have one another to share their struggle with.
“We lean on each other one day at a time,” says Joe. “It’s a few years now at this point, so it’s much easier to get through the day. But sometimes we still have our hard days. And then we’ll call up, and talk to one another, and get grounded, and then go back. We all are in it together. And the more we help, the more it makes us feel better.”
They’ve also become close friends.
“It was something Gabby always wanted,” says Tara, whose been in Gabby’s life since Gabby was a toddler. “She always wanted us, all four parents, to live together under one roof.”
Tara says she and Nichole talk almost every day: “Sometimes I ignore Joey because I’m in the middle of talking to Nikki.”
“I think she always had this desire to have us all together,” says Nichole. “I think her spirit shines down now and is so happy that we’re working together and we’re together all the time because that’s what she wanted.”
“Gabby was our daughter,” says Nichole. “She loves every moment of it.”
