After a week of death and sorrow -- life

By PHIL PARKER
Scripps Howard News Service
Monday, July 02, 2007

Alia Dahl got a little rest after her epic week reached its climax.

Late last week, the 19-year-old gave birth to a son, Kaiden, five days after her husband, Army Cpl. Joel Dahl, was killed in Iraq.

Between those two life-altering events, Alia Dahl's car was stolen.

Police found the car in a school parking lot -- without many of the precious items Dahl was hoping to recover. Taken from the 1998 Honda Civic were a CD of wedding songs Joel had compiled and a quilt Joel's grandmother had made for the baby.

The theft sparked an outpouring of offers from people throughout the city. In 24 hours, Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White said, deputies recorded cash, checks and monetary pledges totaling $18,000.

Car dealers and private citizens also offered cars for Dahl.

"It's been crazy," said White, who was asked by U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, an Albuquerque Republican, to lead the fund-raising effort.

"We knew there would be contributions," White said, "and we knew people would give what they can, but I never imagined it would be like this."

The money will still go toward a new car for the new mother, White said.

Dahl found the response overwhelming.

"I can't be more relieved, because of all the things I'm going through right now," she said shortly before going into labor. "I never thought Albuquerque would come together to help someone. I'm not someone that would ask for help like this. It's something I never expected or asked for, and just to see the radio stations and Sheriff's Department came together to help me is wonderful."