On Feb. 9th, 2017 it all finally ended.  My daughter's abuser was setenced to 60 years for each of the three counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a child and 20 years for each of the two counts of Indecency with a Child.  The judge stacked the first two 60 year terms for a total time of 120 years.  He will be eligible for parole in the year 2077 at the age of 120. I hope he lives to be 119.  The victory is bitter sweet.  Justice has been served, but it doesn't change what happened to my daughter.  She will have to live on with the pain and memory of those events.  I don't exactly know what to feel now.  We have been waiting for this day for two years and here it is.  Everyone was crying and I just felt numb.  I suppose life will go on as normal.  Kids will go to school, birthdays will come, and the Holidays will pass.  

I have been so focused on being the rock my daughter needs that I am afraid I have become a cold and unfeeling man.  Even as I testified as to the effect this has had on my family, I felt very little.  It was like I was reading form a teleprompter.  I felt a small tinge of emotion, but afterward nothing.  I find it hard to empathize with people now.  I say what I think I should say, but there is nothing behind it.  This experience has changed me in a way I did not anticipate.  I hope time will soften me once again.  Perhaps I can regain the pieces I have lost.  

My daughter is doing well.  I fear that she has become hard as well.  Maybe that's a good thing.  I let her stay home from school today. She really just didn't want to be around other people today.  She's going to tell people she had the flu this week.  I hope that she will be able to have normal relationships in the future.

My son broke down at the news of the conviction.  The abuser was a father figure to him.  My ex-wife is a demon of a woman and kept the kids from me for many years after we divorced.  She really wanted the abuser to adopt my children and be their father.  She did everything she could to make that happen, including asking me to sign my parental rights over.  I very impolitely gave her directions as to where she could stick that request.  But I thought "Hey at least they are in a stable home now and not bouncing from place to place."  Boy was I wrong.  But yes, this man was the closest thing to a father my son had during this time.  He was skeptical of his sister's accusation in the beginning.  He just couldn't believe that this man was capable of it.  But there it was plain as day, GUILTY.  We talked about the importance of fathers and how important it is that he chooses a good woman to marry and have children with.  Because once that marriage dissolves, you have no control over who the mom brings around your children.  We hugged, he cried.  I think he will be ok.

My mother is a wreck.  She sat through the entire trial with my wife.  My ex-wife took off after testifying because she just couldn't deal with her own emotions.  I hope I never learn any of the details of my daughter's abuse.  My wife said she will take what she learned about the abuse to her grave.  I love that woman.  My mom said she felt like she was going to have a heart attack two days into the trial.  Literally, she was having chest pains.  She told me not to tell my daughter.  I am grateful for her being there.

All in all, I am happy with the outcome.  The prosecutors did an excellent job and the defense did all they could.  My daughter doesn't have to worry about running into that asshole for the rest of her life.  God Bless Her.  I guess I will just take it one day at a time and try to find myself again.  This will be my last post.  I am grateful to all of you for listening over the years.  I pray that you and your loved ones all find peace.  

Thank You,

Vengefuldad