Athena Strand’s Grandfather Wants to FORGIVE the FedEx Driver for a Heartbreaking Reason, as Millions on Social Media Protest: “No Chance of Life for This Monster!

The grandfather of a seven-year-old Texas girl, who was kidnapped from her driveway and murdered by a FedEx driver, has declared that he forgives him, despite wrestling with anger toward the killer. Mark Strand stated that although a part of him wanted “five minutes alone in a cell” with 31-year-old Tanner Horner, he decided to listen to another part telling him that forgiveness was the only way for him and his family to recover.

Horner abducted Athena Strand from her family’s driveway in Paradise, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon, and she was found dead 10 miles away on Friday. Police stated she was likely killed within an hour of her kidnapping. Authorities connected Horner to the murder based on a tip-off and his FedEx delivery route that day. Horner confessed shortly after being apprehended and now faces charges of capital murder and aggravated kidnapping.

Strand characterized his internal turmoil over the decision to forgive Horner as a battle between good and evil. In an emotional Facebook post, he wrote: “This man I am is angry, and I want five minutes alone in a cell with the psycho that took our Athena away from us, but there’s a soft, gentle voice in the back of my head telling me I need to forgive him”. He continued: “If I allow this hate to consume me, that voice will fade and eventually be silenced. Then that ugly spirit of hate will have succeeded, and that’s why this gentle voice persists to tell me I need to forgive this man”.

“There’s not one ounce of my flesh that wants to do this or say this, but my spirit has heard God’s voice and right now, while tears flood my eyes, I declare publicly that I forgive this man!”. He concluded: “Hate will not win. I hope my family will understand that I don’t do this for the sake of this man. I do this for the sake of my family and myself and to honor the voice of God who is giving me the strength to say this. I do this to honor our precious Athena who knew no hate. Love conquers all and forgives. Today, I choose love and hate loses”.

According to the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the child was dropped off at her home in Paradise at 4:30 PM on Wednesday. The youngster was outside her home following an argument with her stepmother when Horner delivered a FedEx package to their house. When Athena did not come back inside and could not be found in her bedroom, her stepmother reported her missing to the police at about 6:40 PM. Police believe the girl was likely abducted from her driveway, just 200 yards away from the safety of her home.

Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, described Horner as a “sick, cruel monster”. She wrote: “I cannot describe the pain and absolute anger I feel. Missing her doesn’t cover how I feel”. Athena had been spending time with her father and stepmother in Texas and was due to return to her mother in Oklahoma for Christmas.

Notably, Gandy’s heartbreaking remarks come as a Texas woman named Shay Marie, 23, publicly alleges that she was raped by Tanner Horner in 2014 when she was 16 years old. Posts on Horner’s social media profiles show he was an aspiring musician and a member of a band named Commit and Conquer.

FORGIVENESS AMIDST PROFOUND GRIEF: THE STORY OF THE ATHENA STRAND FAMILY AND THE BATTLE AGAINST HATRED

The 2022 kidnapping and murder of seven-year-old Athena Strand from her driveway in Texas left a deep scar on both her family and the international community. Amidst an atmosphere of mourning and peak outrage toward the perpetrator—former FedEx driver Tanner Horner—an unexpected message of forgiveness from the girl’s grandfather, Mark Strand, created a powerful wave of public discourse. This is not just a story of a horrific crime, but a lesson in the salvation of the soul and the effort to protect cherished values from the erosion of hatred.

1. A Horrific Crime and the Betrayal of Trust

On a quiet Wednesday afternoon, Athena Strand had just been dropped off at her home in Paradise, Texas, by her school bus. After a minor argument with her stepmother, she went outside to play. At that moment, Tanner Horner, a driver making deliveries for FedEx, appeared. In an instant, the safety of the home was shattered as Horner abducted Athena from her driveway, only 200 yards from her front door.

A massive search involving hundreds of volunteers proved futile until her body was discovered 10 miles away. Police believe she was murdered within an hour of her abduction. Most devastatingly, the perpetrator was the person delivering Christmas presents to her family—a betrayal of community trust that is unforgivable. Shortly after his arrest, Horner confessed and currently faces charges of capital murder and aggravated kidnapping.

2. The Grandfather’s Internal Battle: “5 Minutes Alone” or “Forgiveness”?

While Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, could not hide her extreme anger, calling Horner a “sick, cruel monster,” her grandfather, Mark Strand, faced a more intense internal struggle. In an emotional Facebook post, he admitted to being torn between good and evil, between human instinct and faith.

Part of Mark felt immense rage; he wrote that he wanted “five minutes alone in a cell” with the killer who took his precious granddaughter. However, he also felt a “gentle voice” deep in his mind telling him he needed to forgive.

Mark Strand shared: “If I allow this hate to consume me, that voice will fade and eventually be silenced. Then that ugly spirit of hate will have succeeded”. For him, forgiveness was not about excusing Horner’s actions, but about protecting his own soul and his family from the devastation of hatred.

3. Forgiving to Heal and Honor the Departed

Mark Strand’s decision to forgive did not stem from weakness, but from an extraordinary spiritual strength. He declared publicly that he did this for himself, for his family, and to honor Athena—a pure child who never knew hatred.

“Hate will not win. I do this to honor our precious Athena… Love conquers all and forgives. Today, I choose love and hate loses”. By choosing to forgive, Strand severed the negative bond with the killer, refusing to let the crime continue to control and destroy the lives of those left behind.

Meanwhile, pain still envelops her mother, Maitlyn Gandy. She does not want her daughter to be remembered only as a victim murdered by a monster; she wants the world to know Athena’s face, voice, and radiant soul. The contrast between the mother’s indignant pain and the grandfather’s forgiveness illustrates the different ways humans confront ultimate tragedy.

4. The Dark Past of the Perpetrator and the End of Justice

The case grew more complex as dark corners of Tanner Horner’s past were revealed. A Texas woman, Shay Marie, publicly alleged that Horner raped her in 2014 when she was 16 years old. This suggests Horner may have been a latent danger long before the crime against Athena. Once an aspiring musician in the band “Commit and Conquer,” Horner is now a social pariah.

Currently, Horner is being held at the Wise County Jail facing the most serious charges. The community in Paradise and across America is holding its breath for a fair verdict. However, as Athena’s grandfather asserted, the legal sentence is only one part. The true verdict for the souls of those remaining is whether they can overcome hatred to continue living and loving.