11 Comments
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Dr. Nicole Mirkin's avatar

This is heartbreaking, and the pain in this piece is unmistakable. The depth of love and the bewilderment that so many parents feel when professionals or acquaintances step into their child’s life with certainty but without context. When a family has supported, attuned, and cared for a child from birth, the narrative of “rescue” becomes its own form of erasure.

So many parents in this situation are grieving a loss they never consented to — not just of their child’s body, but of their role, their history, and their understanding of what their child needed. That grief deserves space, not judgment.

Whatever people believe about policy or ideology, the parental devastation here is real. It deserves acknowledgment, not dismissal, and certainly not exploitation by people who barely knew the child or the family. Thank you for writing this with honesty and restraint in the midst of unimaginable pain.

churchmusiclady's avatar

And as the parents, who have ALWAYS loved our kids and always will, WE will be the ones to help our precious ones pick up the pieces. It sure as heck isn't going to be the Debras who are helping.

Victoria's avatar

Your use of Antony’s speech is genius.

The way you start so polite, keep repeating “Right Thinking Savior” until it burns, and then calmly stack the facts one by one, it follows Shakespeare perfectly, and makes the betrayal creep in until it’s undeniable and suffocating.

When “the knife” comes, it’s absolutely crushing. And at the end when you took "pause", I did too. My breath was gone!

Your precious boy became Caesar on the altar, violated because of Debra’s “help,” while you his loving parents are left holding the proverbial bloodied toga.

It's interesting how since Shakespeare times some things are so different and yet other things are still kind of the same.

I’m truly in awe of how you turned your unthinkable pain and rage into something this sharp and devastating.

Thank you for this, and thank you for letting us share it with you ❤️ 🙏🏼

Emily Ann's avatar

"the idiots' lies will dissolve when they face truth." YES, 100X yes.

Tom's avatar
Dec 4Edited

Our enemies are personal. They have names.

Jesus commands me to love my enemies, and to pray for them.

He does not say pretend they aren't enemies.

They are actual people with bloody blades.

Like Debra. Like Brutus. Like Judas.

"et tu Debra"

Momof5's avatar

I’m so sorry. This is beyond devastatingly sad. Criminals. They r abusive criminals taking advantage of kids who have known nothing but love and trust. My heart is completely shattered for u. And so many of us. Your ache came through loud and clear and speaks for so many. Sadly