Dear Rehtaeh

Canada Day 2006
Canada Day 2006
Back home from a whirlwind of speaking with the Prime Minister, many other Federal Ministers, and other members of Parliament…I wish you were here to tell you about it. I will say that Rehtaeh YOU give me strength to continue to honour you… like you gave me the strength to go to University for 7yrs to make things better for us…you were my focus, my guiding force…I tried my best over the past two days to make this about you…MY GIRL not another suicide statistic, not another “case” “story”.

“I wanted to give them a face to say…this is my daughter. This is now my living nightmare…but it could have easily been anyone’s daughter. The cruelty is out there…hiding behind the keyboard, the cell phone. We need a cultural shift in our attitude towards the treatment of other human beings, towards rape…we need it now before someone else is affected. I miss my girl more and more EVERY MINUTE of every day.

“Love You Rae!!!”

~ Mom (Angel Rehtaeh)

I remember you did a project in school about Canada and you were telling me how proud to be a Canadian you were. You wrote about the Prime Ministers and what their role was in our nations history. You also made up a bristle board so everyone could see our family’s history started in Canada in 1751 right here in Halifax.

I want to let you know we actually meet Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Tuesday. Krista and I, as well as your mom and Jason, flew to Ottawa on and met with him. Premier Dexter was there too.

He told us how sad and upset he was about what happened to you. He’s a father too and I know he felt our pain and frustration. Most importantly to you, he listened. His wife Laureen has been working on a project called Need Help Now and it was pushed ahead because of you.

We talked about what happened and how we can try to make sure it doesn’t happen again. We’re not letting this go Rae. Not until we know it will never happen again.

After the meeting I spoke to the media. I was nervous but kept thinking of your two favourite words; strength and courage. I felt your presence.

They talked about you in Parliament!

I miss you!!! I dreamed of you last night but when I tried to grab you I woke up. I miss the joy you brought my life.

Love Dad 🙂

xoxoxoxoxo

Rehtaeh Parsons
Rehtaeh Parsons (28 February 2007)

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