Stolen Heartbeat - published article for Pear Magazine

Stolen Heartbeat by Katherine Marion

A story about a raw vegan home-learner who was unjustly apprehended by the Ministry Of Children And Families at the tender age of 8.

My son is pretty special! Aren't they all? He has been raw, organic, vegan for what seems like the yummiest eternity. It is our luscious life. We thrive on our healthy, healing choices, and this prevailing conscious choice has made a world of delicious difference in overcoming all challenges life has thrown our wondrous way....even that devastating day, over four years ago, eight days before Christmas and right after my precious and most innocent 8 year old had asked me to watch "My life as a fairytale"... So much for happy endings!

"Let us in, or we are going to break down the door!" was the unfriendly demand I heard hollering at me that early morning that I shall never forget. I had run down the stairs from the bedroom to hear the noise and realized that my fearful little boy, the night earlier, had so knowingly hidden the antique crystal doorknob on the rental we were subleasing nearing the middle of our "40-day countdown to Costa Rica". The police had been camping out for a couple of days already, and the social workers, to no avail, had already taken my son to Vancouver Children's Hospital and received only the most positive test results. So, this was the next step ...

I fearfully opened up the kitchen door after briefly explaining I had to find the hidden knob. No one listened or even chose to hear. Four armed police officers ran up the stairs to the bed where my Angel was peacefully sleeping. It was not until those very early morning hours -- after a terrifying fever due to the latest visit to VCH where Kaelin was terrorized by MCFD in a closed door 'inquisition ("Does your Mom starve you?") for over 1 1/2 hours after four hours of inconclusive lab tests -- that one terrified boy even had the opportunity to sleep. Now, roused out of bed by a troupe of uniformed enforcers, sleeping beauty was sent away.

"Do you have a pillow case or something that reminds him of you that we can take?" was about the kindest comment that came forth in the fell swoop that took my calm, happy child away from me. Literally, in less than five minutes, a petrified boy was lost to a ministry that had been harassing us for many a torturous years. Alongside the 'hired guns' were two virtually unknown social workers who did not have an established relationship with either of us, and a public health nurse. It wasn't until this year that I finally realized why this paid professional was brought in. Just in case ... Well, SHE did not get to shoot a needle in my arm, for all I so wisely and calmly did was ask, "May I say goodbye to my son?" Can you even imagine? It still brings me to unearthly tears when I look back... "I love you. You are amazing. I am going to see you really soon," is all I had an opportunity to leave my numbed child with. And, the biggest hug you ever felt.

Then, my mini-Miracle man was whisked away from me, in the back of a police car, to go directly to live in a gay male foster home full of delinquent boys and forced to eat Burger King on a daily basis. Not to mention, I was evicted, forcibly, from the only home I then knew, 10 minutes after my son was apprehended!

I wrote letters to the Premier. Of course, why should our Canadian Prime Minister answer his own mail? My e-mails were read by other government members working within MCFD. Even the Ombudsman was of no use and really not in business, it seemed, anyway. "Quality Assurance" was one more facet of a far from brilliant diamond in the ruff that works directly with the ministry. I was labelled "adversarial" and let's not forget "confrontational" for my defense of my son. My legal aid lawyer whom once worked for MCFD, taking away teenage children, offered me the sage advice to dismantle my website and to stop writing about the case. "Otherwise you will never get your child back," I was warned.

"No wonder! Look at you," was thrown at me by my first female lawyer whom I comforted, because she complained she was "getting a mere $60.00 compared to the $200.00 per hour" other well-paid lawyers were receiving. I actually remember hugging her because she was so upset. Then, we called my sister, in high hopes she could look after my son since there was no reason he should have been sent to strangers, anyway; especially since we have such a large family (red meat eaters and all).

My sister, one year apart from me, who used to be like a loving twin when we were younger, declined -- on the grounds that she didn't know what she would do with her home-schooling nephew during the days when she went to work. So, instead, my son watched horror flicks every day for months; a very common form of repetitive-style torture, was fed Burger King instead of the promised raw vegan foods, as well as being hit and abused on just about every level one could never wish to ever imagine.

No one stepped in when this devoted and beyond distraught Mother went to the papers to calmly explain her case. "It is Christmas and everyone is on holidays" is what I heard at The Vancouver Sun and The Province before leaving a large envelope for a journalist on staff. Of course, I found out that the press doesn't ever want to touch anything to do with a corrupt ministry that keeps themselves so legally protected that nobody would have a career or life left later anyway.

Nights before my heartbeat was stolen from me, I had called the RCMP and persisted in speaking to the head sergeant. No wonder that one of the first attending officers that unexpectedly arrived the day before 'the take' could only meagerly offer, "I'm sorry." An apology from one person -- a good start...yet, the damage that has been done can never be fully undone.

My son gained 10 pounds of unhealthy fat within a few months. And, it wasn't the lean muscle mass that was typical of one energetic boy fed 100% raw vegan who enjoyed life and smiled everywhere he travelled. Eight cavities in eight months and not a cavity before! So tired. No energy. Little white bumps due to an overwhelmed lymphatic system. Neglect. No one to trust except the "Amazing Mommy" who had been made to look as if she was anything except ... A very bitter foster Dad (one of two) who thwarted me at every opportunity right in front of my son and was permitted by the ministry to do so. A paltry and painful two supervised visits per week, consisting of a meager two to four hours allotted per visit. And to know that many parents never get their children back!

I removed half my website, pictures included, wondering what could possibly be construed as offensive! Sleep deprived and staying motivated by maintaining high hopes and taking daily pro-active measures. Documenting everything (even the bruising and cuts on the once flawless skin of Kaelin's back). Keeping my son full of optimism. Being forced by MCFD to school my son with the B.C. government curriculum in a school outreach program where the two teachers told Kaelin, "You and your Mom are geniuses." Spending more than half our scheduled time together, teaching my home-learner how to "read" and write" when all he really wanted to do was lay beside me and sleep. So much trauma. And, undue stress. Especially for a violated little soul; deserving only Love and the sane of the sanest coming back, unto that of which he so dearly and truly is.

So much to tell. I really have not written about this ordeal for so long. Even though we still intend on filing a class action suit against the foster parents, we decided to see and be the light before we go and stick our heads in a dirty, dark hole, again. A Kaelin's King Rawsome Ransom is the far from paltry price we have paid for our sins of home-schooling and being Raw when one is something too many in our ignorant society don't agree with, and the second is eligible cause for cries of "neglect" in a world where Living Foods are commonly considered to be 'suspect', especially a pre-historic five years ago!

My son is one of the 'lucky' ones. Always faithfully claiming, "I am a Mother On A Mission, Woman With A Vision," what more do I have to lose anyway? They already took my child's precious childhood away. The "experts" attempted to make the Mother into mincemeat that she wouldn't even serve to anybody's child. A once so very Supernatural family has been turned upside down, alienated, lied to, thwarted at every turn and held accountable for taking healthy, healing measures, that should be instilled and installed in every home, heart and government on this hurting planet. All I can do is share a wee and not so wonderful part of our success story to get the yummy word out there: "Do your work, no matter the momentary cost."

I am writing this brief expose to allow a shining, bright part of this wondrous world to see that darkness can and does often prevail. I knew that we were being preyed upon. I even had visions. Slowing down to stay at the YWCA under an alias for five goofy, fun, cartoon-watching months. Women's Organizations confirming "Nazi tactics" as dealt by the deadly hand of a ministry that does not minister to its own. Conscientiously contacting the local media before heavy-handed government officials whisked my beautiful boy away, and auspiciously being told, "Wait until they take him." What? I had people I thought I knew tell me, "You deserved it. You had too much ego," projected by a male admirer who had failed to gain my attention any other way. 'Friends' stopped calling and I had plenty of space created to journal, workout at the gym, and fully train my body and mind to make a huge and lasting shift. And, I stayed totally raw and kept really real. And, this is truly Rawsome!

Everyone has forever heard, "Look for the light at the end of the tunnel." Well, I am intimately aware that you cannot afford to wait. Be the Light. Enter into the Light, and allow only the Light to wrap herself around you and yours. Do what you feel is best to honor yourself and your loved ones. Remember what only counts is not what another says but what you feel and know to be true within your wildest heart of hearts. Trust. Allow. Accept. And, always Forgive. For it is truly only with Compassion that we can come to a deeper understanding and let go of the pain and suffering that need no longer be in our lives any more than a heartbeat needs to go unheard.

With Raw-felt Respect and Deliciously Divine Gratitude!


Katherine Marion is the creator of the websites www.SupernaturalWoman.com amdwww.Rawsomechef.com. She writes, "I would greatly appreciate any positive commentary you wish to send forth. It means the rawk'n world to Kaelin and I. Please feel as free as you are to contact us atrawsomechef@yahoo.ca. Since I am just warming up, all interviews and requests for articles are warmly welcome."


*Top Photo: SupernaturalWoman.com
*Additional photos: flickr.com

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