Olivia and Jody's Story

On February 1st, 2010, my husband shot and killed my daughter. As I turned to run to her, he shot me, with the bullet entering my left temple, shattering my jaw, and it now sits forever in my right shoulder. 

After 30 years of emotional abuse, he knew I was gaining my independence, and after my daughter, Olivia, went to college, I would have had the nerve to tell him I wanted a divorce. 

Domestic Violence, emotional and physical abuse is about power and control, and he knew he was losing control of me. I will forever live with the tremendous pain of losing my daughter. I will also live with the guilt and shame that I didn’t leave an abusive relationship sooner.

Thanks to friends, family, and an attorney donating their time and services, the Live for Liv Foundation (L4L) was formed. We currently have an amazing group of intelligent, strong, supportive women, making up the Board of Directors. Their support and time they helps keep our organization going.

Although this is such a difficult time as Olivia's mother, it makes me happy thinking about the last year or two and how we have helped victims of abuse in various ways: 

·         One of the first women L4L supported was someone that had filed a restraining order against her abuser. They agreed he would take the motorcycle and she would be able to keep the car she purchased. When he moved out, he took her car. She was afraid to let the court know he had taken it. This led to her walking to work in December's cold weather. The L4L Board agreed to help her. We used funds to help her find and purchase a car. She can now drive to work.

·         Another woman was living in the home she grew up in with her 2-year-old daughter. She was abused for years by her family. After seeing a cigarette burn on her daughter, she finally was able to make the difficult decision to escape the abuse and find a safer place to live. She stayed with friends, moving from place to place, unable to bring her daughter with her. One of the board members had met her and shared how see needed L4L's help. We rented a U Haul truck, and several of us spent the day moving her things out of the house, we also hired a police officer for protection if needed. L4L paid first month, last month, and security deposit for the apartment. She is now in a safe living space.

·         I received a call from someone that had run from a home of domestic violence. She left with nothing and had been living in a studio with her three children. Since they had run to safety, they had no furniture for their place. L4L was very happy to purchase furniture for their new home. I will always remember a picture that was sent to us with three smiling faces on their own beds.

·         Recently a call came from a young woman with an absolute horrific past. She had managed to survive abuse, working full time, and going to college. She reached out because she wanted to take driver education to get her license and needed help with the cost. The board was so amazed by her story and said we would absolutely help her with the class cost as well as other costs associated with getting your license. She is now working getting her license.

L4L has helped with the cost of attorneys, mortgage payments, household supplies among other things.

Thanks to generous donors, sponsors and Run/Ride participants who have helped raise money which is being used to help victims of domestic violence become survivors.

When I think of how Live for Liv has helped these people, I'm reminded that we can do anything together!