AS THE SYCAMORE GROWS
ONE WOMAN’S ESCAPE FROM DOMESTIC ABUSE
(true-life drama)
by Jennie Helderman
The harrowing but ultimately inspirational tale of a domestic abuse survivor who was trapped for years, escaped with her children—and now helps others do the same.
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Ginger McNeil fell for a man who was handsome, strong and kind—or so she thought. But Mike wore his ugly on the inside, and once they were married, it started coming out. It wasn’t so bad at first. An unkind comment here and there, an unexplained absence, things like that.
Before too long, though, the little things became bigger and more frequent. Ginger didn’t know it then, but her relationship with Mike displayed all the classic warning signs on the road to hell. Social isolation. Belittling. Financial control. Behavior control. Even control of how she cut her hair. Mike would do things, and then pretend they never happened, or concoct alternate versions of what happened. Gaslighting her with mind games until she questioned her own sanity.
And then came the shoves and slaps, the physical abuse. She didn’t know what mood to expect from one moment to the next—and that was a form of control too. Worst of all, her children saw it all.
More than once she tried to leave, but she had no money, and nowhere to go. Besides, her family always said a woman’s place was with her husband. And her church said leaving him was defying God. Every time she managed to get away for a little while, Mike would turn into the man she used to know: charming and thoughtful and oh-so-apologetic. Until he lured her back.
And Mike was getting worse. More abusive. More paranoid. He talked about the end of civilization and moved the family to a hidden cabin with no running water, and no power. Escaping him seemed more impossible than ever.
It wasn’t easy, but Ginger found a way. A moment when escape with the children was possible. Maybe the last time it would ever be possible.
And she ran.
This is the story of Ginger’s descent into hell, her escape, and the resurrection of the woman she was meant to be. Strong—and in a position to help others unable to help themselves. Because she remembers what it was like to be one of them.
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[NOTES: Update link to new book on Amazon, maybe add praise page here too.]