Thursday, October 22, 2009

Where were You 20 years ago Today

I am late in the day posting this, but it is still very worth the words.

20 years ago today, Jacob Wetterling disappeared. He was abducted by a masked man while with two of his friends. He was 11-years old. His case remains open, and hope remains in his parents and families mind.

All over my office today I could hear "I remember where I was..." because it was such a major thing in my area.

I don't remember where I was, I was 10. But, I remember the time following. I was taking part in a play for our local Children's Theater. It was Cinderella. We had just started rehearsals in downtown Minneapolis, and until that point I had been pretty free to roam (not the city, but the building), but after that it was crackdown time for all the children in the play. We weren't allowed to wonder alone, not even with another child. We weren't allowed to leave with someone who wasn't our parent, unless a note and drivers licence were seen.

It was a scary time for any child.

They talked about it at school, on tv and on the radio. My parents kept us a bit closer.

Now, I see all the amazing things that Patty Wetterling has done, and I am in awe. In 1990 the Jacob Wetterling Foundation (JWF) was formed, with the goal of preventing another child from being abducted. The helped to push for laws regarding sex offenders and how they now have to register where ever they live. Patty Weterling helped pass the A.M.B.E.R. system here and nationally. Patty Weterling is a major child advocate, and Minnesota is lucky to have her.

The Wetterling Family has never shied away from talking about Jacob (most recently on Oprah last week) and I hope they never do. If there is a chance that anyone knows anything, his name and face (with age rendering) need to be out there. As we have seen recently, there is always hope.

Tonight I hugged Boo a bit closer.

2 comments:

Laura Marchant said...

Oh stories like this break my heart. I didn't see that episode of Oprah I'll have to check her site and see if it is on there.

Kim Wheedleton said...

I just read about this yesterday. Every time I read or hear about things like this, I feel the bottom drop from under me, and I do just what you did: Hug my kiddos just a little tighter.