HERITAGE OF HOPE AND JOY
It takes special people to stand by a mother who is accused of murdering her own child. A few stood by me when this first happened, and several more during the ensuing years. For all those who believe hope, joy, and justice, as long as I breathe, thank you.
Randy: for marrying into murder, being my best friend, holding my head and heart when I wake and cry up with another migraine and the nightmares of PTSD, for soothing my fear, allowing me to heal and find forgiveness, for being my beta reader while I researched and wrote my memoir. Thank you for restoring hope and joy.
Ashley and Aaron: for being my second chance at living, and for restoring my joy and making me proud.
Anne: for turning into a beautiful warrior and jewel.
Devon: for embracing your heritage and welcoming me.
The Spichers, the Rogers and the Canos: for giving me a refuge from fear, a place to discover hope, and treating me as family.
Janis: for testifying the truth in my behalf and validating my memoir, and showing me the joy in my child.
Rachael: for allowing me to cry and for understanding the panic of the times. I couldn’t ask for a better friend. You stood by me when others didn’t.
Marilyn and Brice Buehler: for your faith and trust in me over the years, plus thousands of dollars’ worth of pro bono legal services that allowed me to survive and have the charges dismissed against me with prejudice.
Thomas J Novak: for fighting for and loving my disabled son and my innocent daughter even though you never met them.
The 50 (fifty!) doctors, therapists, teachers and teachers’ aids, neighbors, and friends: for stepping forward and testifying in my behalf in the child custody trial for Anne.
Mark Campbell and Bruce Foremny: for reopening the case, even though it nearly killed me. You separated what was true from the lies and found some justice for Adam.
Jeannette Gallagher: for finding what was true through all the lies and finding some justice for Adam.
Carrie Pena: for helping me when I was near panic, reporting with compassion, and showing the joy of Adam.
Keith Perkins and The Never Again Foundation: for convicting Spencer for a second time and giving me a sense of justice.
Dave Riddle: for making this website possible.
Jessica Ann Gattuso: for obtaining the paper that did exonerate me.
Steve Twist: for representing Anne and giving her all the rights of a victim.
Cynthia Hiett: for treating me with dignity, assuaging my fear, and calming me through panic and PTSD.
Dr. Margaret Marshall: for being the first to believe in me.
Joyce, you and Adam are never far from my thoughts and prayers, I think about both of you often!