Lee  pulled her car up behind the ambulance in front of Lana's home. she got out of the car with shaking legs, told the policeman nearest her: " I'm Lana's mother, I want to see her."  The view across the street was blocked, the doors of the ambulance open, but no one was inside.  She could not see Lana and was unaware that she was lying across the street , dead.
          The policeman stared blankly at her.
          "I'm Lana's mother and I want to see her, she repeated becoming more alarmed.  "Where is she?"
          A strange look came over the policeman's face.  He seemed unable to respond and eventually blurted out:  "Well, ma'am he bludgeoned her to death."

          Lee heard in her ears a scream that seemed to come from the depths of the earth and rise to the heavens.  She distinctly remembered that in the midst of that scream, the thought came over her,   "Free at last, my darling daughter, free at last."

          That's what it can come to for victims of domestic violence and their families:  the final release from stalking, beating, harrassment, victimization is death.  She felt her kneess going out from underneath her and someone supporting her and saying:  "The girls need you."



   .
 


Comments

04/15/2011 09:23

My youngest daughter was shot twice, once in the chest and the final bullet to her head by her husband with her two young daughters present and witnessing the entire ordeal. My daughter's husband then turned the gun on himself and killed himself falling upon my daughter all in front of my two granddaughters, ages 7 and 12. I now have the girls and my husband and I are raising them. This happened in 2008. In 2003, I lost my 27 year old son due to a drug overdose. I have one daughter left and she is my oldest. I cannot begin to tell you of the horror I have experienced over the last few years. I too have been a strong advocate against domestic violence. I have started a foundation called Heather's Hope and my husband and I have had fundraisers for the girls - and 5K races for our foundation to raise awareness and educate the public about this despicable crime. It changed our lifes drastically - We are in our mid 60-s now raising two girls and living each day with the heartache and pain of losing two children.
I can't do enough to fight this crime and would love to do more. We have a candlelight vigil every year on my daughters' birthday . The people of our community were devastated over her death as she was a popular well loved 4th grade teacher at one of our charter schools here. What can I do to help? What can I say? Who can I reach out to ? I'm anxious to help - but don't know quite how to further my fight against DV. When I see stories like Millie's and others, it just confirms my beliefs that we as women need to do something - we need to stand up - fight and always look for ways to raise awareness and reach out to women in pain.

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