(*Warning* This post was really difficult for me to post, and is really personal, so please be nice.)
If you know me at all than you already know that I am completely obsessed with the band SafetySuit. They’re just so amazing, it’s ridiculous. And again, if you know anything about me, than you know that I am just overcoming a really difficult chapter in my life. And the fact that I am overcoming it is directly related to SafetySuit. Those guys have done so much for me, and I don’t know how I could ever thank them. So, I decided to take the time to actually explain what they mean to me, and why.
In the summer of 2007 I was raped by a guy named Casey, who I had known for several years, but had just started to befriend. Jump forward about 7 months and I finally spoke up and he was arrested.
Approximately 5 months after his arrest I was assaulted again, but this time by the arresting officer in the case. The officer who knew everything about what had happened to me, the officer who befriended me and said he would help me, the officer who was also the ONLY person I trusted. Officer Hanson. He was all I had. After he hurt me, he immediatly deployed to Iraq in the Army National Guard, and I was completely shattered. I knew if I said anything than Casey’s case might get questioned and everything would fall apart.
As time progressed, the Prosecutor was starting to question my stability, and was talking about taking a plea deal or throwing out the case. I exploded, and told them everything. As relieved as I was to finally get it out there, I also felt incredibly guilty for betraying Officer Hanson.
Fast forward after going to court almost every Friday for over 2 years, and Casey took a plea deal and recieved 3 years in prison, and Hanson got about 4 months in jail.
Ok, so how does this tie together with SafetySuit in any way, shape, or form? Well, I had been a big fan of their singles for awhile, but decided to buy their album, "Life Left To Go", when I saw it at Best Buy one day while in Seattle for a doctor's appointment. I popped it in my stereo, and fell inlove instantly. I knew those guys were something unique, and amazing. “What If” and “Life Left To Go” were on repeat for quite some time. I watched their Vlogs, and they would make me laugh so hard I would cry, and I can’t tell you how long it had been since I could do that.
I was so inlove and obsessed with them, that I decided to make them a fanpage. I didn’t think much of it, but it became a huge distraction from everything negative for me at the time. I put all of my energy and motivation into it, and people started noticing it. People who didn’t even know who SafetySuit was checked them out because of the fanpage and because I was talking about them so much. People from EVERYWHERE, even Ireland, were becoming fans because of something I did. This made me for the first time in years, feel important. I felt as if I was recruiting SafetySuit fans, and I was proud of it. SafetySuit gave me a better understanding of life, and what’s important.
Almost 2 years later, and SafetySuit Nation’s still going strong. I’m still just as obsessed with them as I was before, and I’ve come a long way since I started. I’m finally starting to feel like I’m HEALING from what happened to me, and I don’t feel the need to dwell over what could have been.
THANK YOU SafetySuit for being there to get me through everything. I don’t even know where I’d be right now if it weren’t for you guys. I survived, and you’re one of the main reasons why. I’m a forever SafetySuit superfan!
And now on Wednesday (April 25th, 2012) Casey will be released from prison. I am already on the edge of a breakdown, and it's taken every ounce of strength in me to hold myself together. I'm not going to lie, I am absolutely terrified, but I listen to "These Times" on repeat, and keep telling myself that, "These times are hard, but they will pass." I will be keeping SafetySuit's music close to me through this time, and with their help, I'll get through it.
