DARLINGTON — Darlington native Shelly Kittleson is a 49-year-old freelance contributor for Al-Monitor, a Washington D.C.-based news outlet that reports on activity in the Middle East to other parts of the world. Kittleson has been living and working in the Middle East for the last 20 years.
Among her credits, she has been reporting from dangerous areas in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. Recently, her name has filled local news reports after being kidnapped on Tuesday, March 31, from a busy intersection in Baghdad, as shown on CCTV footage.
Family, friends, classmates, and members of the community are praying for her safe return.
Kittleson graduated from Darlington High School in 1995. Classmates that attended school with her think back and remember Kittleson as a kind individual who enjoyed reading and writing. Some classmates shared stories of her, while others nodded in agreement.
Kittleson may have been a quiet individual, however, she often shared her thoughts and opinions, even if they went against the grain. Some former classmates say she was “the kind of person to do her own thing.” She oftentimes stood her ground and stayed true to who she was meant to be. Admired and spoken well of, the Darlington Class of 1995 recently came together to recall the person they knew Kittleson to be while they attended high school together at DHS. “I remember looking Shelly up for our last reunion ten years ago,” said Denise Ehren, a classmate of Kittleson. “I was not at all surprised to find out what she was doing, or where she was located because she loved writing. I knew she was intelligent and followed the beat of her own drum.”
Ehren and Kittleson shared gym class together, and Ehren remembered Kittleson loved Doc Martens and choker necklaces.
“She didn’t care if she ‘fit in’ like some would,” Ehren said. “We were paired a lot in gym class together and spent a lot of time walking and talking during laps while everyone else ran.”
Tim Fenner added that Kittleson was very artistic and “had a wonderfully creative mind.”
Jenny Cooper Gill remembers Kittleson as kind of shy, soft spoken, quiet and incredibly smart.
“She always had a book in her hand and had a passion for reading and writing. I admire her courage and pray for her safe return,” Cooper Gill said.
Another Darlington Class of 1995 member, Scott Black, said the first thing that came to his mind was that Kittleson was strong willed and fearless.
Amy Sonsalla Zembroski shared a story from their early teen years.
“I remember I did a sleepover in middle school and we started sharing stories and writing,” Sonsalla Zembroski said. “She has always been a prolific writer. Definitely an attitude ready to take on the world.”
Brittany Long was in Kittleson’s homeroom with Mr. Murphy all four years of high school.
“She was insanely smart, very artistic and like the others said, an amazing writer. She had very strong viewpoints, which I admired even when they didn’t align with mine. She was very inquisitive and questioned ‘why’ about the world around us,” Long said. “She was a quiet person but also had a spicy side that came out when challenged by others. Shelly was always kind to everyone and I admired her ability to do her own thing even when it wasn’t always the majority’s choice. I hope and pray that she is released soon and back with her family.”
Heidi Gille remembers the moment Kittleson began her evolution from reserved to “finding her own voice” as a senior.
“When we were young, she was very quiet, always kind, clearly brilliant, and incredibly artistic. She was often reading or sketching when she had free time,” Gille said. “In high school I remember her really coming into her own around senior year and finding her voice. I admired her gravitas as she began speaking up about her viewpoints and beliefs. Always composed and well-read about the topic, she wasn’t afraid to challenge others to think about things through a different lens, especially if it was against popular opinion.”
Melissa Emler remembered an incident during their National Honor Society induction that seemed “wildly out of character” for Kittleson at the time.
“I remember thinking she was making a lasting statement through the rebellion…but boy, oh boy, were all the teachers talking,” Emler said.
“I respected her for it then, but even more so now as I think back and understand how hard it probably was to do that. I hope and pray she comes through all of this and is returned safely,” Gille said.
Tracy Andrews and Kristi Austin rode the same bus as Kittleson.
“I remember riding the bus with Shelly and her brother Steven,” Andrews said. “They both were avid readers on the bus. She was always the quiet one. Being a journalist was her passion.”
“I rode the bus with Shelly and spent time at her house here and there when we were younger,” Austin added. “She didn’t live far from Tracy and I growing up. Shelly was quiet and kind, and her family was, too. I also know she was so very smart and bold when she wanted to be. If I remember correctly, she graduated in the top percentage of our class.”
To the people of Darlington, Shelly Kittleson is more than just a name on the evening news. To her classmates, family, and those who knew her, she is the person who knew exactly what she wanted to do in life, and she set her sights to do just that. Her ability to sit quietly in the corner and take notes has served her well, yet Kittleson also enjoyed the adrenaline rush of telling another story.
She remained steadfast while living among a different and difficult culture, although she had grown accustomed to the way of life in the Middle East.
As updates of her kidnapping continue to be flashed across news outlets from around the world, the residents of Darlington sit while holding their breath, waiting for her to emerge.
“I’ve been praying for her to be returned home safely and unharmed (and) praying for her family, too,” Austin said. “I can’t even imagine.”