Bringing my post from the other thread over as it closed just after I posted
I was actually surprised that I was more affected by Steven's impact statement today than I was by Samanthas. Now before that's misconstrued, let me FIRMLY state that Samantha's statement was VERY moving & powerful, which I expected, but Steven's rocked me to the core because I wasn't expecting it. He's been so stoic & strong throughout the proceedings that I almost thought he'd be matter of fact, if that makes sense. When I saw him go up to the podium & heard his voice cracking, I immediately broke down in tears. The way he eloquently (& painfully) described his nightmares, his fears for his family, the separation between him & his wife, the anti-depressant medicine not working for him...all of it really, I felt it deep in my soul. The pain pouring from him while he's been a pillar of strength was heart wrenching.
Listening to Steven & then Samantha describe their pain, the loss of their Grandmother, the empty chair at family gatherings, Steven's separation from his wife, everything we've heard from Travis' friends really drives it home & demonstrates how many lives the murderess has ruined. It's almost as if she murdered all of them too, but they are still here physically. It's absolutely devastating when you look at the totality of it all.
