North Carolina Department of Correction - NC Victims Rights Day

Victims Voices: Silent No More
National Crime Victims
Rights Weeks
April 25-May1,1999

Michael and Chelsea
Wood

Joining together
for victims' voices
April 29, 1999

A celebration of victims'
courage and the enactment
of victims' rights in
North Carolina

North Carolina
Department of Correction
Services for Victims of Crime

Contact Us For More Information:
Office of Citizen Services
Victim Services
2020 Yonkers Rd.
PO Box 29540
Raleigh, NC 27626

1-800-368-1985

http://www.doc.state.nc.us/
victimservices/index.htm

victims@doc.state.nc.us

Comments from Chelsea and Michael Wood

My name is Chelsea Wood. I'm 9 years old.

I was four years old when my dad was killed. I miss him very much. I wish my dad were still here and that a man didn't kill him.

This year I went to a father and daughter dance. All my friends went and took their dads. I really wanted to go, too, so I took my mom with me. I saw my friends dancing with their dads and it made me so sad because I wanted my dad here so we could dance, too.

I hope that people will stop killing each other, I wish there was less violence in the world. I wish everyone had a whole family. And I wish my dad were still here.

I love you Daddy!

Chelsea Wood, survivor

Wood 1
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Wood 2
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My name is Michael Wood. I'm 13 years old.

I'm here today because my family and I lost someone we love very much to a violent crime--my dad.

Five years ago when I was eight, a policeman came to my house in North Raleigh. He told my mom that my father had been shot in his car--that he had died.

I don't remember much more after that--only that my whole life had changed.

Michael Wood, survivor

My mother, sister and I struggled to get some comfort back in our lives. We sold our house and moved to Charlotte, NC, trying to start new memories and leave the horrible ones behind.

I don't have a dad anymore--only memories of what I wish could happen again. I wish my dad could be my baseball coach. I wish we could play Super Mario again. I wish I could hear him play his guitar again and I wish we could all go on beach trips again.

I know those wishes won't come true. I hope in the future, other kids will never have to go through what my little sister and I have felt. I hope that laws are so tough on criminals that they wouldn't dare think about killing anyone. I hope that legislators remember victims and survivors and continue to improve laws to make victims rights better. But mostly, I hope all people will live together and never kill or hurt one another.

The high school kids that were killed in Littleton last week were just a few years older than I am. It's scary to think that kids are killing kids. I hope that legislators look really close at this incident and make changes now so that my sister and I and all kids can go to school without fear of being shot by another kid at school.

A 17-year-old guy killed my dad. I hope all lawmakers get tough on crime. Please let's all work together to make this world safe for all of us!

Thank you.