Drawing Strength from Sorrow: The Surviving Parents Coalition
United in heartbreak – and friendship – these parents are banding together to battle child predators
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Smart: Experts say sex offenders are more prone to be under control when they know they're being checked on. And we need oversight of judges and law-enforcement officers in charge of child safety. They must be accountable. This has got to be a priority because it really is homeland security right here in our own backyard.
The coalition is still in its infancy. The 13 founders do not hold regular meetings, mostly because everyone lives so far from each other. Much of the work is done via e-mail and phone calls, and membership is open to anyone whose child is missing or was abducted or murdered. But the coalition is about more than just a cause. It's about friendship.
Magi Bish: My husband had prostate cancer surgery last November, a stroke a few weeks ago and is now facing heart surgery. I called everyone to let them know, and I got phone calls, e-mails and cards from everyone. Erin cried with me on the telephone. We all have different types of friends: neighborhood friends, school friends. Then there's this other group of friends. They truly know the sadness no one else can ever really know. You need someone to hold you when you can't stand. The calls, the e-mails, the cards – they're like a long-distance hug.
For more information please visit WWW.SURVIVINGPARENTSCOALITION.ORG
