The Last Days of Matthew Shepard: October 8

The Last Days of Matthew Shepard: October 8  

 

My late friend Thomas Alan Heald sadly passed away last May. He was a humorist, editor and writer, and I want to carry on his tradition of sending out one of his works, "The Last Days of Matthew Shepard."
I do this to honor both Matthew Shepard and my friend Tom Heald. May they both rest in peace and may we all learn a lasting lesson from the senseless homophobic murder of Matthew Shepard. -Tommy News
I invite you to join our Matthew Shepard Pride and Tolerance Group here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MatthewShepardPrideandTolerance/

 

The Last Days of Matthew Shepard: October 8

Around the world, this day in 1998: In Saudi Arabia: the phone rings for
Judy and Dennis Shepard in the middle of the night with news that their
son Matthew has been critically injured and is in a coma. The Shepards
will wait nineteen hours for a flight to see him, and spend another
twenty-five hours flying to Ft. Collins, Colorado where they meet up
with their younger son Logan, and onward to the hospital to see what has
happened to Matthew.

Back in America: the Associated Press reports that "a gay University of
Wyoming student was beaten, burned and tied to a wooden ranch fence like
a scarecrow until a passerby found him a half-day later, near death."

In Fort Collins, Colorado: at noon, the Poudre Valley Hospital updates
the public with the following report -- "Matthew Shepard remains in
critical condition with severe head injuries. Respiratory support
continues to be provided. He remains on a ventilator. The family
requests no interviews with the media, and asks that you respect their
privacy. Calls have come into the hospital from people who have extended
offers of donations and support. The hospital will pass this information
on to the family. The support is greatly appreciated."

And in Washington, DC: Focus on the Family staffer and "former
homosexual," John Paulk, marks `National Coming Out of Homosexuality
Day' with a press conference at the National Press Club. Says Paulk,
"Millions of young people struggling with a variety of issues are being
encouraged to 'come out' as a solution to their problems. Our goal is to
point teens, their parents and teachers in another direction -- that of
an achievable, healthy, normal heterosexual identity."

====
"The Last Days of Matthew Shepard" © 2007. Sources: The Seattle Gay
News, Jonn Robert, The Sun Sentinel, Vincent W. Hevern, The New York
Times, and PR Newswire.

--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy

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