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K. Hartsell shared a letter in the
To the people we love group 1 years ago Dear Ralph
Kelsey H.Dear Ralph,
You don’t know me, but I hope that you will get some comfort and love from a stranger with these kind words. Too often we ask children to carry too much, things that they shouldn’t have to carry. Then we facetiously shove the badge of “resilient” onto their lapel. While you most definitely are resilient, you shouldn’t have to be, and your strength came from responding to a stolen innocence at a heavy cost. I see the news stating that you are a wonderful child, an exceptional musician, and a caring brother. And while these qualities are very important to who you are- they don’t speak to you as a human being that didn’t deserve this. What happened to you was wrong on every level and our community should not be making excuses but should be comforting and holding you with our love and sitting with you through your journey to healing.
My heart cries out for you and your family and I hope you understand that you are not at all responsible for any of this. I hope you continue on with your passions and goals. I hope you don’t allow the evil of others to poison your soul with jadedness. And above all else, I hope you live fearless.
With Love,
Aww Kelsey! This is beautiful and so sweet. This line is incredibly powerful, “Your strength came from responding to a stolen innocence at a heavy cost.” As society, we failed Ralph like we are and have with so many others. No child deserves this. No person deserves this, and yet it keeps happening. Thank you for writing such a beautiful letter. Once everyone’s is posted, I am going to send it over to his aunt to share with him! I will keep you posted. Thank you again for this beautiful letter. <3 Lauren
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Thank you Lauren. I hope that they bring her a form of a hug; at least maybe she will know she isn’t alone and people care. That was a very thoughtful plan.
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So sorry about what you’ve gone through but if you never remember anything else, Please, Please remember the bad thing that happened to you then and in the future is never your fault. You didn’t cause it in anyway, form or fashion. That evil entered your life without your permission, like a thief in the night. No one knows when a thief will attack, so there’s nothing you could have done to stop it. What you must do now, is to go forward knowing you’re worthy of any good thing that comes your way. You’re worthy of a great future and many loving people to enter into your life and make it that much better. Love yourself, and believe, it will get better. That you deserve!
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Your words are so kind, caring, and wise. No child deserves to go through this. I’m so grateful that you and many others have written letters to this young man.
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I hope when he reads them he feels everyone wrapped around him! I’m very curious how he is doing. I wish we could just reach out to him. Either way, I hope he is healing
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I’m not sure what happened but I do agree with you about the innocence of a child and the right to preserving that innocence. Instead of ripping the innocence away and dumping stress and unneeded trauma on a child they should be loved and nurtured and their innocence should be encouraged.
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Thank you! What had happened was this young person went to pick up his brothers from a friends house and accidentally knocked on the wrong door. The home owner shot him and then no one would help him. It is shocking what people expect children to have to carry and recover from.
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Wow. This grinds my gears. Shooting an innocent child because they knocked on your door. This stuff just make me lose hope in humanity. This is sad and I hope that person gets what they deserve.
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