If you follow the news then surely you have heard about the boy in Tracy, California who was tortured by 3 adults for the past year. He ran away from his foster home in Sacramento last year hoping to reunite with his family. Somehow though, he got connected with a lady and a couple renting a home in Tracy, who would forever change his life for the worse.
On Monday afternoon he was able to cut through the chain wrapped around his swollen ankle and ran through a parking lot and into the fitness gym that bordered his backyard fence. He was covered in soot, feces and urine. Wearing only flesh colored boxers 4 sizes too big, he curled in a fetal position and repeatedly begged "don't let them find me, don't let them find me". His arms wore cigarette burns, he had dried blood from cuts all over his body, his head was shaved in some spots - a reminder of the cruelty and shame he endured for so long. What hair he did have left was crusted with dried white pudding. This poor young boy was force fed house flies because he spoke when he wasn't supposed to. He was starving and afraid beyond any description.
Every time I hear his story I feel sick to my stomach. Literally. How could something so wrong happen in my own backyard? In Tracy, really? How could something so wrong happen anywhere? What a brave young boy, to take what little will he had left in his emaciated body to stand up for himself and fight back. I admire his courage to save himself. I admire his determination to find his family. I wish him all the love in the world to help him through this unfathomable experience. I hope he is able to find what little courage he has left in his heart to nourish it. I hope he is surrounded by people who will help it grow so that he can pick up the pieces and attempt to find happiness within. When someone is exposed to so much that is bad, it is all we can hope for.
I write about this today because this story was a slap in the face. A hard one. The next time you find yourself worrying about what presents you will buy for Christmas, or even how you will buy presents for Christmas, or if you'll be able to make next months rent, if you worry about completing a project at work, or all the traffic you had to sit in to get there, or how much weight you gained over Thanksgiving weekend, or whether or not Brad and Angelina will make it --remember there are people out there who have real stuff to worry about. Like this boy who day in and day out worried about things like, What form of torture will I receive next?, Will I get water or food today?, Will I ever find my family? Will I survive?
This poor boys experience serves as a reminder to all of us that we shouldn't waste our worries on things that don't really matter.
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2 comments:
WOW how horrible. I did hear a very brief news boardcast a couple days ago. This poor young boy!
It amazes me to hear about how brutial one human can be to another and a child no less. As stocking as this is I am glad you posted it. I am surprised no one else has commented on your blog about this story.
It needs to be seen so others will know what some are capable of doing.
Good report - blogger from tracy.
lets see if we can bump this story up in the cafe for others to see.
AMEN SISTER!!!!!!!!!!
This should be required reading. All the time, not just the holidays. I don't watch the news- just a personal choice. I'm in shock. I don't understand how.. well. Put's ANYTHING in perspective. I was aggravated b/c I had to deal with ungrateful people today.. but at least they showed up to get food for their kids.. nothing like this. HELLO. Not that I have tons of traffic, but I wonder if there is a way to post a link to this story on my site? A gadget that does that? Is that allowed? Do you kow how wonderful you are for posting this?
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