An Open Letter to
Christine Leinonen
As I sat in my living room watching your
tearful pleas for help in finding your beautiful son, Christopher, I wanted to
reach though the TV screen, wrap my arms around you and comfort you. I prayed that Christopher would be found
alive and my heart broke for you when I learned that was not the case.
Christine, I write this as one grieving
mother to another. My son died 21 months ago and I won't say that I completely understand
and feel the same pain that you are feeling because of the different
circumstances surrounding their deaths, but I do know the grief of losing an
adult child.
I don't know your and Christopher's story
but I sense that you are a mother who loves her child more than anything and
you would gladly have exchanged your life for Christopher's. I wish I could have gotten in my son's
hospital bed and died so that he could live.
I begged God to take me instead, but it wasn't meant to be. Our sons were beautiful and had so much life
left and so much to contribute to society.
I saw you tell Lester Holt that if you had
known that Christopher was lying on the floor in that club you would have gone
in and carried him out on your back.
Christine, I would have gone in there with you and helped you carry him
out.
As you begin your journey as a "sister
in lost" I hope you can find comfort.
Please do not let bitterness overtake you. Try to find a way to do good works in Christopher's
name, so that it will never be forgotten.
I hope you know that this is written out of
love and compassion and I pray for strength, comfort, and healing for you.
With deepest
love and compassion.
Shelley
Ledbetter
