I grew up on Long Island and most of my childhood summer days involved swimming at Jones Beach. It was the best possible place to spend summer days. The beach is my safe place. So when word came out about the Gilgo beach murders, with that beach a mere 7 miles from Jones Beach, I was absolutely shocked. More so when I found out the LI Serial Killer was from my hometown.
Watching the first two episodes of the Netflix series “Gone Girls” last night, I was trying to figure it out. One friend of a victim talked about her friends serious money problem, which contributed to the choice to meet up with this scumbag. I wondered, but how did we get here? What else led to that fateful moment? To the myriad of choices that led to that one? The number of times the intuition was switched off, so it became easier?
I thought of a conversation I had as a teen. My mom was in ICU at the local hospital. She was just diagnosed with Emphysema. I was sitting out in the waiting room when a young patient, the same age as I (16 at the time) came by and bummed a smoke. You could smoke in hospitals then, even with your mom on oxygen in a room across the corridor.
We sat in silence for a bit and then somehow she opened up about why she was there. She was from the Midwest, a dancer who wanted to be an actress. She’d moved to NY to follow her dream. She’d met a guy who told her that dancing at his club would get her seen by talent agents and send her on her way. Well, it was a strip club in a suburb and that week someone had slipped her a Mickey. She almost died and next thing she knew she woke up in the ICU.
She was blond, blue eyed and beautiful. We both cried. It was scary. She said she was gonna go home to the Midwest and get her GED. I agreed that was a good idea. I never saw her again but I prayed for her often. I think of her sweet, innocent, vulnerable smile and I pray for the family members of those other girls - the ones found along the strip on Gilgo Beach and elsewhere.
May all beings be safe and know that they are loved and lovable 🙏🏻 🪔💕
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