'Praying for strength': Eighteen 36 restaurant remembers Anitra Gunn

FORT VALLEY, Ga. — Eighteen 36 Restaurant owner Kelvin Blalock says when he hired Anitra Gunn back in October, he knew she would fit right in with the team.

"The first thing that hit me about Anitra was her smile. I don't know if you've heard that, but her smile would light up a room," he says.

Blalock said she was scheduled to work on Valentine's Day afternoon, and it was unlike her not to call ahead when she missed her shift.

"I was doing paperwork over the weekend and I saw her paycheck. We got paid last week. She was supposed to get paid last Friday like everyone else," he says.

Also on that shift was Brittney Gay, who says she and Gunn were close friends.

"When you come to work, it's so good to be able to come to work and be able to talk to coworkers past work. You're comfortable talking about everyday life, just personal stuff," says Gay.

Gay says at the beginning of every shift, the team prays together, but Thursday's prayer was a little different.

"We were praying for strength to get through the shift. Usually, we're praying to have a good day here, period, it's all about the customer, but today, not saying nobody wants to come to work, but it's hard."

Gay says they did have some workers call out Thursday, and their work family may never be the same. "Somebody else has been stripped from us who we're used to seeing every day when we come to work. Now, it's like, 'OK, how are we going to get over this?'"

Blalock says he may get a picture of Gunn hung up inside of the restaurant in her memory.

RELATED: Missing-person report details Anitra Gunn's final texts to her father

RELATED: Fort Valley State student Anitra Gunn's death ruled a homicide

RELATED: Timeline: Everything that's happened in the case of Fort Valley State student Anitra Gunn

RELATED: 'It's real tough': Hope turns into sadness after GBI confirms body found was Anitra Gunn

RELATED: Report: Anitra Gunn did not name her boyfriend in vandalism report

RELATED: 'Please continue to pray for us:' Father of FVSU student Anitra Gunn thanks everyone who searched

RELATED: Fort Valley State students remember past tragedies amid Anitra Gunn death

RELATED: 'We are intensely saddened': FVSU releases a statement on Anitra Gunn

RELATED: Anitra Gunn Case: Fort Valley State University students, leadership react to her disappearance

RELATED: Update: Body of missing FVSU student Anitra Gunn found in Crawford County

STAY ALERT | Download our FREE app now to receive breaking news and weather alerts. You can find the app on the Apple Store and Google Play.

STAY UPDATED | Click here to subscribe to our Midday Minute newsletter and receive the latest headlines and information in your inbox every day.

Have a news tip? Email news@13wmaz.com, or visit our Facebook page.