Tortured: Abused and neglected by Britain’s most sadistic mum. This is my story of survival.
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To my dear Anthony, my very best friend. My goodness, what a journey! Thank you for never leaving me. You’ve never given up on me throughout some horrendous times. To remain so loyal to a person who at times wasn’t very lovable takes a special type of man. When you wrap your arms around me, it’s like nothing else matters. You’ve defended me and never let anyone speak badly of me. Whatever happens in life, I know we will be best friends till the end. I love you!
A big thank you too to all of Ant’s family: Neil, Maria, Phil, Rich, Jack and Jessica. Thanks for all your help.
To Lauren: thank you for your friendship and for fighting my corner. I will never have enough words to thank you for what you did for me. We met as strangers but we will be lifelong friends. You’re amazing!
Also my gratitude goes out to the lovely lady I met in Cheltenham General Hospital, who talked to me when I was at my lowest: a beautiful, kind-hearted stranger who told me to stay strong and who gave me her rose stone. You have no idea how much that meant to me. I took that stone to every hospital appointment for that following year. I would go to meetings to rebuild my life and hold that stone tight in my hand. If you’re reading this, thank you for your faith in me. You were right: I was strong and I got there in the end.
To Belinda Filmer. Thank you for taking care of my fur-babies. As we’ve discussed many times, it’s clear we met for a reason. You released me from the chains of condemnation. You saw the good in me, you understood me. My love for you will never leave my heart; you are so precious to me. A surrogate mum! I love you and look up to you so much – thank you. I never thought I could love the lady that took my dogs away as much as I love and respect you.
Thank you to Sandy Young. You did what so many people were too frightened to do: you stood up to Eunice, challenged her and stuck up for me. You fought for me as a little girl. You’re an amazing woman with so much strength and love.
I’d also like to thank the following people for their support throughout everything. To all the doctors and nurses who’ve helped me, especially those at the Barbara Russell children’s ward in Bristol Frenchay Hospital, Ian Nelson and Mr Livingstone. To the two incredibly brave off-duty police officers who got out of their cars and approached such a horrific car crash scene on the M5 motorway in 2000; to the air ambulance service in Somerset, Dorset; to JC Woods; to Rob Lorenzo (the paramedic who kept me alive on the side of the road for forty-five minutes), you’re one of my heroes. Thank you for saving my life and my brother’s life. James Wheeler, thank you for all your hard work trying to put me physically back together; you’re an amazing surgeon. To Jill, my lovely stoma nurse in Cheltenham, and Dr Andrew Green, such a devoted and understanding doctor. Carol Endal and staff at Yorkleigh surgery; and all at the Jesmond House practice. Finally, to Jeremy, an amazing doctor who fought for me and supported me through some very dark times. You got me through so much. Thank you – and thank you to everyone who’s been involved with my medical care, so very many of you have helped me.
To those Jehovah’s Witnesses who saved my life and supported me: Mark, Ruth (I love you so much and always will), Megan, Dave and Maeve Tyler, Duncan and Jacqueline Costello, Neil Bebbington, Jolene and Stuart Kurtain, Anne Romeo, Bob, Judy, Ben, Alison and Amy Lockwood, Lucy Swift, Nikkie Lewis and Chloe Bone. Many more of you helped me – you know who you are. I will be forever indebted to you. Thank you.
Thanks also to Carol Bull (and Sam and Ellie). I’m so grateful it was you who supported me down that very difficult road to find my biological family. Every time I look at my toy giraffe and elephant I smile fondly, remembering our time together. Roger, Lesley and my biological brother: you’re my ‘proper’ family. I will always love my beautiful brother.
Sue Wilson, an amazing boss and now friend for life, it was a sheer joy to work at your nursery: thank you for giving me that chance; I came into my own there. Thank you too to the ladies who worked on the ‘juggler’s floor’ when I worked there. It was hard but I loved it. Lucy, you were so encouraging and I greatly enjoyed my job because of your unwavering support at the time. Trina, Emma, Faith, Poppy: such a great team of girls to work alongside.
My eternal gratitude to my neighbour Emma, a special person in my life who gave me my first ever Christmas and birthday presents. I treasure my tiny Eeyore and my charm bracelet. Thank you for all that you did for me.
A very special thank you to Faye Kelsey – you are so good at your job! Thank you for breaking down my trust barriers, and for showing me that I was a person and that I mattered. You told me it was OK to make mistakes and that I wasn’t a bad person. I hated going to Belroyd, but when it was time to go because I no longer needed it I didn’t want to leave. You did something for me that no one else had ever done before. You didn’t judge me or force your opinions on me. You listened properly to how I was feeling and respected my opinions and my dreams. Berry and I will always love you. Also a big shout-out thank you to Tammy, Nick Stevenson, Julia, Frankie (from Isis) and Rita Wood; and to the staff at my local CostCutters at Walton Cardiff, Tewkesbury: thank you all for your support through that very difficult time. Your help and care during my dark days – when so many in our community turned the other cheek – made a huge difference to me.
To Ken Goodwin, thank you for going above and beyond the call of duty to help support my petition in the summer of 2014. And to Chris Wittle: you helped me get that petition up and running. You’re a selfless human being who cares – thank you so, so much for all your unwavering support. I simply couldn’t have done it without you!
Special thanks to Julia Douglous, Louise Goode, Jessica Levy, Marc and Corra Lantham: amazing, courageous people. Sarah, Duncan, Cathy, Jodie and Isabelle from the County Council – thank you for helping me to understand my past and for enabling me to have a voice for future children.
Victoria Martell: I will never forget that day when I finally found the courage to tell you the horrors of my childhood. You were the first person I’d ever truly confided in. Thank you so much for believing me and for setting me free from Eunice.
Christine Morrison Hughes, I’ve not yet met you. You live on the other side of the world but sometimes I have felt closer to you than someone sat right next to me. Thank you for your love, care and mummy wisdom.
A very big thank you to all of our friends on Berry and Noah’s Facebook page for all your love, fun and support. So many of you tirelessly kept my petition in newsfeeds and tweeted every day until I had reached 12,000 signatures; you’ve all supported me and been with me through so many highs and lows. Berry, Noah and I would like to thank Linda Jackson, Linda Parker, Kimberley Stonlake, Genevieve Connatty, Michelle Long, Lynn Ede, Becky Blissitt, Herbie Dog, Hugo Huggins, Wizz, Frankie and Wilfy, Tonia and Wiggins (Noah’s brother) King, Victoria Newport, Rose Bridge, Lynda Foster, Anne and Ole Lovell, Wendy Bird, Lesley Bowen, Georgina Apari, Sonya Epperson, Brinton, Valerie Harrison, Myles Harrison, Lauren Henderson, Georgina Toomer, Maggie Pine, Carl Thompson, Sarah Murphy and the gorgeous Milo Murphy, Alyson Wonderland and the beautiful Sage, Alison Clews, Buggerluggs and Jack Clews, Sally Victoria, Fraser Edge, Kate and Teddi Maloney Stelljes, Emma Handley, Annee Shelton-Mathews, Beverley Dickinson, Becky Williams, Kim and Maxi Ware, Joelle Hargreaves, Karen Johnson, Alastair Hilton’s Lulu Hilton, Carolyn Plumb, June Harvey, Jenny Shimmin, Mandi Grech, Tom Rennie, Victoria Oatham, Jenna Kemp, Patricia Kleinbrook, Sarah Kibble, Marsha Crocker-Hazel, Carolyn Silcocks, Eric, Ernie and Bailey, Victoria Filmer, and Hayley Lanciano.
To Sara from Ebury Press. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me a chance to do this book and have a voice. I’ve enjoyed doing it and it’s been such a cathartic experience. Kate, my dear ghostwriter, I am so pleased it was you I worked alongside to make this book happen. You were a joy to work with – very professional and empathetic. Thank you for bringing my words to life.
I know I will have forgotten someone in these acknowledgements. If I have, I’ve not forgotten you because I’m not appreciative – it’s
because so very many of you have supported me and my little family; I’d have to write another book just to list you all. The fact is, though, that I simply can’t thank you all enough. You’re all amazing. If you’re reading this and you’ve helped me through hard times in my life: thank you. Since escaping Eunice, I have met so many wonderful people. I wouldn’t be here today without you.
Victoria Spry, 2015
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