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Huntsville Times

January 14, 2004

Reprinted with permission of the author. All rights reserved.

LETTER
Hope for mental illness

My heart goes out to the families and friends of the slain police officers, the Athens Police Department, the Barksdale family and the entire community.

From experience, I know that life will never be the same for any of you. These shootings brought the events of my husband's death on July 8, 1998, back as though it had just happened.

In these tragic shootings there are many victims, not just the family of the officers. Members of the law enforcement community, the city of Athens and surrounding areas, and the Barksdale family all will have their lives forever changed.

Nothing will bring back the men who were killed, nor fill the gap that has been left. But, as in the case when my husband was shot, positive actions and good can come from all of this. Soon after the events of July 8, leaders in our community came together and formed a Mental Health Task Force and began working to improve services and laws that deal with persons who have a mental illness.

We now have a better understanding of mental illness and its effect on all of us. With improved medication and treatment there is hope.

I pray that from the experiences of victims of crimes associated with mental illness changes can continue to be made that will lessen the number of those crimes.

Linda Gregory

Deltona, Fla.