I remember this case well. I was pregnant with my daughter. I was scared. For me. For my soon to be born child. For all children everywhere. The world wasn't safe anymore. It never was. This crime magnified the fact that there are vile people roaming around, ready to pounce.
It was dusk. Three innocent little boys road their bicycles along a dirt road. They were on their way back from a convenience store with a video to watch. Life was normal and good.
They had no idea evil was lurking.
A man wearing a mask came out of nowhere and brandished a gun. He ordered them off their bicycles. He made them lie face down in the ditch and asked their names and ages.
He let two of them go. He snatched Jacob Wetterling. The boy was never seen again.
27 long years have gone by.
That haunting question...What happened to Jacob Wetterling?
I can't even imagine the pain those two boys have gone through. And the parents...I have no words.
This week, they got answers. Finally. After all these years. Not the ones they wanted, but gut wrenching, heartbreaking answers. Their Jacob was dead. Killed by a sociopath.
News outlets and papers tell the story. I don't need to repeat it.
I've spent the last few days processing. Honestly, it has been hard for me to sleep. I'm a mother. I imagine myself holding Patty's hand. Silence between us. Just being present. Mom to mom. Only, this mom (me) has her babies. Both of them. Today they are safe.
October 22, 1989 changed Patty's life forever.
Why her and not me? I'm so selfish to be grateful it wasn't me, because it could have been. It could have happened to any one of us. We can't always be with our child.
I weep for her. I pray for peace. I pray for strength. Most of all though, I thank God she knows what happened. Is it closure? I'm not so sure.
Closure is like turning the pages in a book and reading, THE END. Jacob wasn't some fictitious character. Jacob was a precious child. A beautiful little boy who was robbed of a beautiful life. Jacob was loved by a lovely family full of hope that he would one day return to them.
I'm so sorry, Wetterling family. I'm just so very sorry.
May Jacob Wetterling now rest in peace.
Gail, my sons were four and two when Jacob was abducted. Terrified this could happen to my boys, nauseated, that Patty and her family had their precious Jacob taken from them. After his abduction happened, I remember the news channels encouraging viewers to report even the slightest resemblance to the drawing of the abductor. I was shopping at Har Mar Mall and saw a suspcious looking man who matched the drawing and called the police. They were thankful for my call but I dont know that anything came from it except it made me feel better that I had done something. I cannot imagine this family's grief, epecially hearing their little guy's last heartbreaking words, "What did I do wrong." My heart and prayers go out to this family! Thanks for writing about this tragedy and helping us put into words our sorrow for the family.
ReplyDeleteHi Julie. I'm still disturbed. So hard to understand. Such evil. This evil man is the epitome of the boogyman. He came out of nowhere. But, love wins. The best thing we can do is to love. Love defeats evil. That's exactly what the Wetterling family wants us to do. Love. Blessings my friend.
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