I was flipping channels and I came across this movie called "When Andrew Came Home". I had never heard of it so I checked the info (mother and son's relationship after he returns from a 5 year abduction is made difficult by the abuse he suffered while he was gone). Right there I should have known better than to watch. I don't know about you all but every since I've had kids - I can't watch things were kids are hurt at all.
Anyway, I did watch the last 15 minutes and I swear I've never cried so hard during a movie. Best I could figure is she was trying to home school him enough to pass some tests - he hadn't never been allowed to go to school. She couldn't reach him. They were staying on her brother's farm and he loved doing things on the farm and with his uncle. Out of frustation she says some things to her brother about how she blames herself for him being abducted (it was his father who did it and she had let him go with him) and that now she doesn't feel like his mother anymore and that she wouldn't choose him as her son and how badly she feels for feeling that way. The little boy overheard her say that and ran away. She ran after him saying she was sorry and that she didn't mean it. He yells at her that he hates her for never coming to look for him. Like I said, it was his dad who took him because he was mad she was seeing someone who loved her and the boy. In the 5 years he had him, he told him his mother didn't want him anymore, that she was tired of him being around. She told the boy how that was not true, how she looked for him everyday. That she had stopped living. Everytime she went to the store or anywhere she would look for him through streets and on playgorunds and how everytime he wasn't there it broke her heart. The sat in the barn from morning 'til night - not talking - the boy had fallen asleep and she went to cover him with a blanket. That startled him, he jumped and she told him he didn't have to be scared anymore. He started to tell her about those years. That they never stayed in one place too long. They moved around a lot - motels mostly. The last place they were at and stayed at the longest was a trailer. They never let him out in the yard during the day. He just sat inside and watched tv. He never got to go to school or know anyone else his age. It was just him, the dad and his girlfriend and the she would hit the boy. At night they would put him outside on a long leash. He would climb a tree and fall asleep. There were animals out there. He would think about her and get mad. He said again how his dad told him she didn't want him. And then he says to her, "but I know you did". He hugs her and says, "I'm home mommy".
Like I said, I was totally bauling. I almost couldn't breath and my stomach hurt. I thought I was going to go into labor. All I could think about was my boys. How it would kill me if anything every happened to them. How my heart would break and my life would be over if they ever had to go through anything like that. They are spending the night at a friend's and all I want to do is call and see that they are ok. To tell them that I love them.
As the little boy was telling his story, I remembered hearing a very similar story on Oprah when she featured as a guest a detective or reporter who had devoted his life to bringing these stories to light and the perpetrators to justice. I can't remember how this boy was found and I missed it in the movie but I think they were taking him somewhere and the car was pulled over by the police and the boy told who he was or they recognized him from the search efforts. Or maybe he had gotten loose somehow and was walking along a highway and was found by a police officer. I'm not sure but I found myself wondering if this really happened. At the end of the movie it said that the mother and child had gone home (from the farm) and were rebuilding their lives. That the father had been tried, convicted and was in prison. It went on to say that the story was fictional though based on real life events. I really think it was this same boy's story I had heard on Oprah.
It was just the saddest thing. I can't imagine the horror kids like that go through thinking no one is coming for them and that no one loves them. It really makes you want to make sure your kids know you love them everyday. I know we all think they must know that but do they? God I wish I could show them and tell right now!!!!!!!!!!!
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