Wow, I didn't realize this conversation had been revisited. Lots of new stuff here.
I should mention that I've been aware of this case in some detail since about 2001 or so, when I first saw the Cold Case Files episode, and have done quite a bit of research on it. The newspaper articles which I found (with the help of a site called Highbeam) covered the sexual fetish aspect of the case quite well. I have also been able to find a copy of the "Escaped" episode, it is in English with (I believe) Chinese subtitles ... I will try to find the link if people are interested.
I am trying to get a sense of how someone experiencing these injuries and having the rehab he must have had managed to create a situation where a shooting was justified. In the back no less. It is an interesting twist for sure. Thad had the will to live through all of this which must have come from somewhere for sure...
The simple fact of the matter of the shooting was that Thad and a friend were bullying a local boy, and the boy felt threatened. Apparently they had threatened to kill his pets, and had attempted to enter his house, which is when the boy fired the shot (BB). I believe I also read that the boy who was being bullied was developmentally disabled. The shooting really had nothing to do with Thad's injuries, and the incidents were connected only by time; Thad was scheduled to testify against Clark, but his testimony had to be postponed as a result of his hospitalization.
It is so difficult not to romanticize people we consider heroes. How can I say this...Heroes are not always what we want them to be. The comment quoted by Bluto above illuminates this fact very well. Thad's bravery made his escape heroic. But being heroic, and being a hero, are different things. I continue to be impressed by Thad's courage during (and, I'm certain, after) his ordeal. Who he was, who he is now, and what he has become, is a separate issue to me.
believe09 said:
I think about Thad frequently-I pray that his days are pleasant and full of love and success. He has to be one of the most resilient individuals I have ever, ever heard about.
As do I. As do I. I also hope that his resiliency carries over into other aspects of his life.
I hope that makes some sense to those of you who know me.
