"My adopted town has made headlines this week for a devastating reason."

“This week there’s a lot of people doing it tough. In Leeton and beyond. They’re grieving for a friend, a teacher, a colleague, a Leetonian.”

My adopted town has made headlines this week for a devastating reason, the loss of a friend and teacher.

I didn’t know Steph, but the community is grieving right now, and I ache for the community I once called home.

Leeton is the heart of rice country, in the NSW Riverina, 579kms from Sydney and 457kms from Melbourne. It’s a beautiful town, with art deco buildings, carefully cared for garden beds, surrounded by paddocks of rice, oranges and wine grapes. While the population sits at around 7000, many more proudly call themselves “Leetonians”.

The town punches above its weight in generosity. It gathers around to support its own, with most cake stalls sold out, local fundraisers well supported, and newcomers welcomed with open arms.

This is a town that has done it tough through droughts, celebrated when rain returned and the rice mills in the district reopened.

Related: Stephanie Scott’s family should be preparing for a wedding, not a funeral.

The town’s heritage is its pride. Its people are encouraged to succeed and celebrated when they do. It’s a town where people are connected, where nobody grieves alone. The whole town is on your side.

This week there’s a lot of people doing it tough. In Leeton and beyond. They’re grieving for a friend, a teacher, a colleague, a Leetonian.

Leeton’s mayor, Paul Maytom, has been a pillar for the town, taking on the difficult role of media spokesman for a grieving town; a town where everyone knows everyone and he too feels grief. His disbelief that this could happen in this close-knit town is clear.

Related: “So excited, not long now” – Stephanie Scott was to be married this weekend.

He was quoted by The Irrigator, the local paper where I once worked, as saying:

“It certainly is a dark day for Leeton and Stephanie’s family and friends. It’s a blow for the whole community to have this result. Obviously everyone was holding out hope that Stephanie would be okay. It’s tragic, it’s sad and it’s just unbelievable that something like this could happen in our town.”

My friend and former colleague, Felicity, said what many felt:

“Today is a terribly sad day for Steph’s family, friends and Leeton as a whole. Whilst we will never understand how such a heinous crime could take place in our tight-knit community, at least we can be thankful the disgusting criminal has been arrested.”

Not everyone can find the words to express how they’re feeling but they’re showing their love for this woman in other ways and trying to deal with their grief. The school fence is now a tribute to woman who touched and changed lives from people determined to make sure she’s not forgotten. Each memory shared through social media shows she had touched lives wherever she lived.

Last night, thousands of people lit candles in her memory and to guide her spirit home. I hope they’ll be given the space to do that, away from the media.

This week has been tough on many and as the headlines focus on a dark event, I hope that it won’t stop people visiting Leeton, a town that’s true beauty shines through.

Rest in peace Stephanie Scott. My thoughts are with your family, your friends, and the people of Leeton.