This is an iHeart Podcast. This Labor Day, say goodbye to spills, stains, and overpriced furniture with washable sofas.com, featuring Anibay, the only machine washable sofa inside and out, where designer quality meets budget-friendly pricing.
Sofas start at just $6.99, making it the perfect time to upgrade your space. Anibay's pet-friendly, stain-resistant, and interchangeable slip covers are made with high-performance fabric built for real life. You'll love the cloud-like comfort of hypoallergenic, high-resilience foam that never needs fluffing and a durable steel frame that stands the test of time. With modular pieces, you can rearrange anytime. It's a sofa that adapts to your life.
Now through Labor Day, get up to 60% off-site-wide at washablefas.com. Every order comes with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping, no restocking fees, every penny back. Shop now at washable sofas.com.
Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions. may apply. Builders trust Ferguson Home to bring innovation and efficiency to every project. With top products, expert support, and tools that allow you to browse, organize, order, and work with clients, Ferguson Home has custom solutions for every pro. Discover an unparalleled selection of products from the best brands to help you create spaces that stand out.
Find your local Ferguson Home showroom or visit FergusonHome.com to explore the best selection of kitchen, bath, and lighting products. And get personalized expert support every step of the way. When we built our home, my wife and I used and loved the support of Ferguson Home. Bring your vision to Ferguson Home, where it all comes together. Shop top brands like Kohler or find your local showroom at fergusonhome.com.
Good morning, welcome to Today. From back to school to tackling your to-do list, the Today Show is your best start to the day. It's a new season and every morning. We're here to help you take it all off. as the forecast calls for football all across the country.
Blockbuster stars, live concerts, and so much more. Wake up to where it's all happening. We're getting back to all of it, and the best way to start is together. Watch The Today Show, weekday mornings at 7 a.m. on NBC.
This is Bethany Frankl from Just Be with Bethany Frankl. You begged, they listened. After years of customers asking for it, Barkbox finally put together a collection of their most um questionable toys. The Bark After Dark collection is for all the booty sniffers, tail chasers, and leg humpers. Very spicy, deeply suspect, and one that you definitely can't open at work.
So, however, your dog likes to play, there's no judgment here. Join Barkbox now to get the Bark After Dark collection delivered discreetly to your door and let the panting begin. Subscribe today at bark.co and get double the bark after dark goodies in your first box. To e Ina. We all know that water is life.
An average American household consumes over 300 gallons daily. 40% of Navajo families residing on a reservation the size of West Virginia struggle to survive on less than 10 gallons of water per day. Yearly St. Bonaventure Indian Mission and School delivers over 1.5 million gallons of clean water to these families. You can help support St.
Bonaventure's water delivery program by going to stbonaventuremission.org. Yeah. And we return to our American stories. Up next, The beautiful legacy of Laura Treppendahl. A young lady whose life was cut.
Tragically short, and the resulting story of grace and forgiveness offered by her family. Yours, Madison. The best way to find out who a person truly is is to hear it straight from their family. Let's hear from David and Rob. the father and brother of Laura Trependahl.
Laura was definitely the first child. She kind of dominated the other children, right, Rob? She was a little bossy. You know? She played her role well of being the oldest child.
She followed the rules, and she definitely made sure that we followed the rules. Yeah. One Summer, Laura went up to visit with her grandmother, my mother. Gene Mama. and after several days together, My mother got frustrated with Laura.
And she sat her down to teach her a lesson. And she says, Laura, You have a very bad habit. for a child. And that is correct people. And particularly what's bothersome is that you Correct.
Adults You should never correct. Adults. And Laura looked better. Serious as she could be. And she says tea mama.
It's adults. Not adults. I'd rather just Fell out laughing. She just left her alone after that. Classic oldest child.
Yeah. Catherine was born 17 months later. And then Three years later you came. Three years later Sophie came. And Laura was just the coolest, most delightful, interesting, funny child.
She had this ability to just be completely Wrestle with people.
so that when she was talking to you, nobody else mattered. She made you feel important. It kind of created a problem with guys because they would all think she was in love with them. She would do this thing where she would hold your hand with both of hers. It was just all in deeply into your eyes.
It's like, how do you resist that? She actually was just a really good friend. Right. Laura was the first of her siblings to move out for college. One night she was hanging out with friends in her new town of Oxford, Mississippi.
That same night another student was with friends. They were drinking at a bar. It was a Thursday night. February the sixth She was hanging out with friends. Having some community.
It was very close to the bar. It was like a few hundred yards. And then she headed home sometime around 11. You know, they closed the bar They were in their Just playing these kids with as much alcohol as they could, and they said, Okay. Everybody out.
They sent everybody out. Greg Gibbs was underage. Most of the guys that were Greg and eight friends. Here they are at a bar. They're nineteen years old.
Nineteen, twenty years old, they're underage. And Greg says, he says, Okay. I'm too drunk to drive. Can anybody else drive? And they all said, we're too drunk to draft it.
Nobody volunteered to beat the designated traffic. And so So Greg says, Okay, it's not very far. Let's let's go. We get to call it 1130 or so at night. From Dallas, who was Laura's boyfriend that was almost Her fiancé He was a paramedic.
And so Dallas says. Laura has been in a terrible wreck. And She's been taken to the Baptist Hospital Um I'll tell you. whatever I know when I find it out. And so So We go through An hour and a half of this incredible agony.
And then we get the next phone call. and it's Dallas, and then he hands it to the doctor. And the doctor says, She's got Within 30 minutes after that phone call. My first cousin, Welland, and his wife, and the Episcopal minister. We're knocking on our door.
I just You know, they just showed up. There's something to be said. for just showing up. Although Laura attended college in Mississippi, her funeral was held in her home state of Louisiana. Oxford is what, from Baton Ridge, five hours or so?
Five hours on the money. Bet like a hundred and fifty kids come from Oxford for a funeral. I don't remember if it was 14 or 15 different girls that came up to me and kind of put their arms around me and said. Laura was my best friend. Yeah.
She had 15. Girls, they considered Laura to be their best friend. How do you do that? I tell you what. I feel something else.
It was a first Presbyterian church and this church will see a About 1200 people. Over 2,000 people came to that funeral. Three people spoke, and Phyllis was one. And Phyllis was one of her teachers in Baton Rouge.
So, during that service, when we started it, it was really overcast and it was really dreary. And right? Win. Phyllis started her sermon about to talk about Laura. The sun came through the windows and it just lit up.
The whole thing. It was sort of striking how that happened. And everybody showed up. And the letters that we got. For Days and months and years after she died, of people who were affected by her, they're still coming in.
It's a very powerful thing. One of the letters came from James. paramedic on duty the night of Laura's wreck. Years later, he felt the urge to contact David. To tell him about the last moments he was able to spend with Laura and the regrets he had.
Here's James to read the letter. Hello, David. This is hard for me. My name is James Pritchard. I'm a retired captain at the Oxford Fire Department.
On February 7, 2003, I had the privilege to sit in the car with Laura. And say a prayer. and make a promise to her that everything was going to be okay. I will never forgive myself for telling her that lie. and I will also never forget the look of comfort she had on her beautiful face, as I prayed and told her.
that we're going to be finished in just one minute. I know just from the moment she and I shared. She is with our Lord, and and she is much happier and healthier than anybody on this earth. I'm so sorry if I'm Bringing up hurtful thoughts and memories. I just can't go any longer without trying to let you know.
that I truly try my best to save your beautiful little girl. Since that night I've either thought about or seen Laura every time I laid my head down. But I thought it would either upset you or seem selfish to contact you. The past few years My career has caught up with me, both mentally and physically. and I just wanted to ask you for your forgiveness for not keeping my promise to Laura.
I'm in no way asking for pity. I just need to find peace somehow through this tragedy. After that night, I would pray with the people that I was trying to help, but I would never again promise anyone. That was gonna make things okay. or that they would be okay.
I'm so sorry I couldn't do more. And I pray that you and your family have found peace. and I hope to find your forgiveness. And I thank you for your time. Today, James has come to terms with some of the regrets of his career.
and the Trependahls have reassured him that he didn't lie and that Lara really is okay. And the two words you never want to hear is a parent. She's gone. And my goodness, the letter we just heard. These are the stories we love to bring you.
And you're just at the beginning. The remarkable and regrettably short life. The Beautiful Life of Laura Treppendahl and her families. continues here. on our American stories.
This Labor Day, say goodbye to spills, stains, and overpriced furniture with washable sofas.com, featuring Anibay, the only machine washable sofa inside and out, where designer quality meets budget-friendly pricing.
Sofas start at just $6.99, making it the perfect time to upgrade your space. Anibay's pet-friendly, stain-resistant, and interchangeable slip covers are made with high-performance fabric built for real life. You'll love the cloud-like comfort of Hypoallergenic, high-resilience foam that never needs fluffing, and a durable steel frame that stands the test of time. With modular pieces, you can rearrange any time. It's a sofa that adapts to your life.
Now, through Labor Day, get up to 60% off-site-wide at washablesofas.com. Every order comes with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping, no restocking fees, every penny back. Shop now at washablesofas.com.
Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. I bet you've probably been to the doctor's office in the past few months. I bet you had to hand over personal info, like your insurance, your ID, maybe even your social security number. And I bet you weren't thinking about how your doctor is just one of many places that has your personal information. If any one of them isn't careful, it's a good bet they could accidentally expose your details to hackers and identity theft, putting you at risk.
Fortunately, LifeLock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats to your identity. If your identity is stolen, a LifeLock US-based restoration specialist will fix it, guaranteed or your money back. with plans covering up to $3 million for stolen funds and expenses. Don't take chances with your personal info. Help protect it even when it's out of your hands.
Save up to 40% your first year with promo code iHeart. Call 1-800Lifelock and use promo code iHeart or go to lifelock.com/slash iHeart for 40% off. Terms apply. This is Bethany Frankel from Just Be with Bethany Frankl. You begged, they listened.
After years of customers asking for it, Barkbox finally put together a collection of their most um questionable toys. The Bark After Dark collection is for all the booty sniffers, tail chasers, and leg humpers. Very spicy, deeply suspect, and one that you definitely can't open at work.
So, however, your dog likes to play, there's no judgment here. Join Barkbox now to get the Bark After Dark collection delivered discreetly to your door and let the panting begin. Subscribe today at bark.co and get double the bark after dark goodies in your first box. You heard it before many times. Water is life.
But do you know that almost half of the homes on the Navajo Reservation do not have clean running water? With your support, St. Bonaventure Indian Mission and School is ready to give water to Navajo families.
So we invite you to help provide this precious gift of life to those in need. Contrary to many average Americans, Navajo families survive on just 10 gallons of water per day. You can help support St. Bonaventure's water delivery program by going to stbonaventuremission.org. Good morning, welcome to today's show.
From back to school to tackling your to-do list, today's show is your best start to the day. It's a new season, and every morning, we're here to help you take it all off. As the forecast calls for football all across the country. Blockbuster stars, live concerts, and so much more. Wake up to where it's all happening.
We're getting back to all of it, and the best way to start is together. Watch the Today Show, weekday mornings at 7 a.m. on NBC. And we're back with our American stories. And the story of Laura Trependahl.
You're about to hear from another of the many people who were impacted. by her life. Lesnoosum was the minister of RUF. a university fellowship group. at Laura's College.
Here in our small town. of Oxford, Mississippi, about an hour south. of Memphis. Laura tended to create the very Community that she was seeking. But she kind of found a home in her friendships in RUF.
The thing about Laura that The most compelling to me was Laura was not unaware of the realities of life. In the days surrounding her death, I do think that there was a tendency from the community around us to turn her into sort of Saint Laura Dreppendahl, which is perfectly natural because she was so delightful. But Laura, I always thought, would be so uncomfortable with it. Because she knew her own struggles. She knew that she was a flawed person.
Struggles that she was willing to admit. And I always wanted that to at least be always said that what brought the richness of her character was not a natural born sunny disposition. That's what made her so delightful to be around.
So yeah, we instantly connected and she was involved in lots of our small groups and a lot of just great connection people. As a matter of fact, we were having our UF in the springtime on Thursday nights in 2003. On the evening of her passing, she had left RUF. Yeah. Attend a group of girls that were having discussion time.
They would, after RUF, go to someone's house, they would play a board game together and just talk and share a lot of the rich fellowship together. That was vital for Laura and central to who she was. And the fact that it was what she was involved in in the night of her death always meant a lot to me in thinking about it. I had actually gone to my own small group myself. Right around 11.30 or midnight, we began to hear sirens from the house that I was at.
She was on her way home from that gathering with those girls. To her home to work on a paper. She actually told him, I've got to leave early because I've got to go work on the paper. I left my gathering probably around midnight, went home, and at that moment got a call. from her boyfriend Dallas.
thing. Laura's in the hospital. She's been struck by a car. We don't know if she's going to make it.
So I made it to the hospital around 1230, maybe 1 o'clock in the morning, and there were already probably 50 college students gathered in the lobby of Baptist Hospital there. And somewhere around 130 or so, dean of students. came out and announced that Laura had had passed. I was immediately taken back to meet with Dallas. We left the hospital together and about 2 a.m.
to about 5 a.m., all of Dallas's friends just descended on his home. In the middle of the nights, I knew their friend was hurting. And you could start to see the beginning formation of a community that would rally around a great tragedy, but produce this amazing fruit of bonded, connected relationships. that exist to this day, texting each other on that February evening. And I think that David would definitely say that Dallas became a part of their family.
As a matter of fact, when Dallas got married many, many years later, They were at the wedding. Celebrating along with Dallas and his new wife, Christine.
So it was just amazing to see how God sort of worked through Laura's life. She was infectious with grace. and it continued to manifest itself even after her death. In the days after her death, they were compiling photographs, and someone had taken a picture of Laura in a field, just typical Laura. They had arrived at this field because she just thought it was beautiful.
And she thought, you know what? That's a field that we just need to run across.
So they pulled the car over and pulled their camera and snapped a quick photo. as Laura is starting to run up into the field.
So the picture is of this large field and she's on the right with the photograph. running up the hill and After she passed, That photo. became the one that everybody sort of clung to because everybody kept looking at saying, you know, It just looks like she's going somewhere. And we knew exactly where she was going. Was very inspirational, so much so that there were a couple of ladies that actually did paintings of that photograph that I kept because they always reminded me of Laura's home going.
The day after Laura's passing, Les and Laura's boyfriend Dallas. rode together to Saint Francisville, Louisiana. where her parents, David and Coco, were having a wake at their home. Before we left for St. Francisville, Dallas and I went to her house.
As soon as I walked into her room, there's that immediate Heartbreak of seeing a place that used to be occupied and isn't anymore, and it just all looks wrong and unnerving. But I immediately also noticed that she had painted all over the walls. The first thing I saw on the left-hand side, I can still put myself there. On the top of the clause, it was, whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say. It is well with my soul.
It was the first thing I saw when I went to her bedroom. It was just, that was Laura's identity.
So much so that she couldn't even. Live in a room without it being plastered on the walls. And I actually got to preach on that very passage at our funeral.
some days later, which is a big honor for me. It was one of those evenings where you're up into the night trying to put together whatever I was going to do. And what in the world do you say? In the midst of this kind of tragedy, but it was her. guidance that got me through that.
because she was the one who had provided the scripture passage and the theme of her life. And she got a chance to stand up and tell people that it was well with Laura's soul. There's a lot of joy in that. Les remembers being there with the Trependolls at the sentencing for Greg. the young man who struck Laura.
Again, I can place myself in that courtroom. I do think Greg came in with an attendant amount of fear and anxiety. But people began to stand up and read letters, and the judge even talked about. how many letters they had received. And he ended by saying, And I was most astounded.
the letter that I received from the young lady's parents saying that They had forgiven Gregg completely and did not hold any grudges against him. Here's David to read the letter that his family wrote to the judge on October 21st, 2003. about a week before Craig's sentencing. Your Honor. We appreciate the opportunity to convey our sentiments to you regarding the sentencing of Greg Gibbs.
We are Christians. Forgiveness is an integral part of our Christian faith. We have asked Christ, and He has enabled us to fully forgive Greg Gibbs. and the other young men involved in this tragedy. Therefore, from our own personal perspective.
We have no need. nor will we gain any satisfaction from seeing Gregg Gibbs further punished. We recognize, however, that much more is involved here than our own personal well being. A felony has been committed. the life of a beautiful, innocent young woman has been lost.
And this date through the office of your court. is responsible for taking the wisest possible action to minimize the chances of similar tragedies reoccurring. you have been entrusted with an awesome responsibility. We pray that God will guide you and give you His wisdom. as you decide the appropriate sentence for Greg Gibbs.
Sincerely yours, The Trependahls. There's not a whole lot of experiences that I've had that come. really very close to the impact that that experience had on me. Dallas actually grabbed me by the hand and said, They want me to come back and meet with Greg. Would you come with me?
So the three of us went back with all the lawyers in the room. And I can see this to this day. Greg came and sat down. Ashen. just grey-faced, terrified at what he was about to hear.
And Dallas reached across the table. And he grabbed Greg's hands and he said, There is zero animosity that I have towards you.
So if there's any fear in your mind that you might feel that. It's gone. It's not in me. And it's only because of the grace of Christ.
So when the judge came in and announced that they had forgiven him, it was a powerful. powerful moment. The whole room was in tears. There was such a wellspring of undeserved favor And it was beautiful. Beautiful.
And I think marked one of the reasons why Greg went on and did well afterwards. Laura wouldn't have had it any other way. And what a remarkable piece of storytelling. Laura was infectious with grace, I keep picturing her stopping with some friends seeing that field. And then that picture.
I see it in my head. I see her in my head, and I know you do too. You want to talk about infectious grace. Showing up pre-sentencing. From a family that could teach all of us a whole lot: how to let go, how to forgive, how to live with grace and mercy, Christian or not.
Uh this is the answer. And notice the careful calibration of that beautiful letter. If only we could all. Oh, write a letter like that after losing a loved one. When we come back.
Oh, one of the most beautiful stories already and it's not over that we've told here on this show. The story continues here on Our American Stories. This Labor Day, say goodbye to spills, stains, and overpriced furniture with washablefas.com, featuring Anibay, the only machine washable sofa inside and out, where designer quality meets budget-friendly pricing.
Sofas start at just $6.99, making it the perfect time to upgrade your space. Anibay's pet-friendly, stain-resistant, and interchangeable slip covers are made with high-performance fabric built for real life. You'll love the cloud-like comfort of hypoallergenic, high-resilience foam that never needs fluffing and a durable steel frame that stands the test of time. With modular pieces, you can rearrange anytime. It's a sofa that adapts to your life.
Now through Labor Day, get up to 60% off-site-wide at washablesofas.com. Every order comes with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping, no restocking fees, every penny back. Shop now at washable sofas.com.
Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. I bet you've probably been to the doctor's office in the past few months. I bet you had to hand over personal info, like your insurance, your ID, maybe even your social security number. And I bet you weren't thinking about how your doctor is just one of many places that has your personal information. If any one of them isn't careful, it's a good bet they could accidentally expose your details to hackers and identity theft, putting you at risk.
Fortunately, LifeLock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats to your identity. If your identity is stolen, a LifeLock US-based restoration specialist will fix it, guaranteed or your money back. With plans covering up to $3 million for stolen funds and expenses, don't take chances with your personal info. Help protect it even when it's out of your hands. Save up to 40% your first year with promo code iHeart.
Call 1-800Lifelock and use promo code iHeart or go to lifelock.com/slash iHeart for 40% off. Terms apply. This is Bethany Frankl from Just Be with Bethany Frankl. You begged, they listened. After years of customers asking for it, Barkbox finally put together a collection of their most um questionable toys.
The Bark After Dark collection is for all the booty sniffers, tail chasers, and leg humpers. Very spicy, deeply suspect, and one that you definitely can't open at work.
So, however, your dog likes to play, there's no judgment here. Join Barkbox now to get the Bark After Dark collection delivered discreetly to your door and let the panting begin. Subscribe today at bark.co and get double the bark after dark goodies in your first box. You heard it before many times. Water is life.
But do you know that almost half of the homes on the Navajo Reservation do not have clean running water? With your support, St. Bonaventure Indian Mission and School is ready to give water to Navajo families.
So we invite you to help provide this precious gift of life to those in need. Contrary to many average Americans, Navajo families survive on just 10 gallons of water per day. You can help support St. Bonaventure's water delivery program by going to stbonaventuremission.org. Good morning, welcome to Today.
From back to school to tackling your to-do list, the Today Show is your best start to the day. It's a new season and every morning, we're here to help you take it all off. as the forecast calls for football all across the country. Blockbuster stars, live concerts, and so much more. Wake up to where it's all happening.
We're getting back to all of it, and the best way to start is together. Watch The Today Show, weekday mornings at 7 a.m. on NBC. And we return to our American stories. and to Laura Trependahl's story.
Here is Madison. to take it home. Many people wonder how the Trependols chose to forgive the driver who hit Laura. It was no longer a very good thing. Effort.
to do that. We just weren't Angry at Craig Gibbs. We were s sad, but it's like I felt so sorry for him because of what this had done to his life. I mean, he recognized that he had a problem. And so we couldn't have ginned up anger if we'd have tried.
We were sad. We missed Laura. Right before the trial, we met with Greg and his parents and his attorney. The person who was most affected was the attorney. He started weeping.
He says, This doesn't happen. It's like, this just doesn't. Nobody's ever feel. I said, look. We're not.
mad at crack. Anybody who carries around all this bitterness is just stupid. It'll put an attorney out of a job. You know what I mean? You're used to the anger.
There's nothing to be gained. By carrying around bitterness and vengeance. Right. It just eats your guts out. And knowing that the perpetrator for Laura's death is suffering does not benefit our family in any way.
Yeah, we didn't want to lose two people. Right, the idea of Greg sitting in jail. For a long time, would actually make us less happy. The level of guilt. And regret that we knew Greg was facing was enough.
We wanted to move on. We all wanted to heal from it. We wanted him to heal from it. When you go through a bit of trauma You can either isolate or you can draw near to those that you're with. And we drew near.
So what we did, one of Laura's favorite restaurants was Old Tale grocery. It was like two months later. Right. We said we're gonna have. A celebration of Laura's life, and we're gonna invite some of her friends to come and tell Laura stories.
And the deal is, no sad stories. It all has to be funny. Often you have a funeral and it's very sad, and then that's it. But this was an unconventional way of doing things. Yeah.
So the restaurant would hold like 220 people. And so we said, well, we'll rent the whole thing out, but my gosh, we're not going to put 220 people. It ended up Who's in and who's out? Like standing room, only one in, one out. And then it was like everybody wanted to come.
Um We invited the guys who were in the Tahoe and five of them came. And I gotta say. in the whole process. That was the most cathartic. experience.
of awe. There were so many people that came. And told crazy Laura stories. Things that we'd never heard. I mean, stuff about painting her fingernails green and doing races through Walmart and shopping carts with them, pushing it through.
I mean, all this kind of stuff is like. It was really good. And I think Something that our family did was we We grieved well. We embraced Laura. We didn't put her pictures away.
We didn't try to forget. We wanted like all of it. We wanted to hear every story, and while those stories are kind of sometimes painful to hear, it's part of the grieving process. I probably released more tears. over that two-hour period than any other period.
And they were joyful tears.
So people would get up and tell a story. It was really fun. I would laugh till I cried and I would cry and I would cry. It was just It was such a relief. Laura journaled extensively throughout her life, from the time she was 14 years old.
We have all of our journals. What was so phenomenal is to watch her in her journals. spiritually mature. Where at some point she's got all these worries and concerns and things like this. But By this time I mean, she's not worried about anything.
It's almost like she knew she was It's a scary thing of thinking about living forever. And that was something she wrestled with for a while. And in the last few months of her life, she achieved a tremendous amount of peace in that category. One day, Lara was riding in the car with her mother Coco. they were on their way to her college tour.
About halfway along the drive. Bar Chest. burst out crying. Just go. uncontrollable sobbing.
The cocoa pools over in Santa Rosa's water wet. What are you crying about? And she says I think heaven's gonna be boring. I love life so much the way it is. I can't imagine.
Mm-hmm. that life after death is going to be better than this? I don't want to be bored. I don't want to be up there with the angels in the clouds and the harps and all this kind of stuff. I mean she really thought about those types of things.
And so, in her last few months, She had a different perspective and she was ready to go. She was ready. I mean if you just read What she wrote. It just talks about how there really is a happily ever after, and everything does kind of like an everything does work out no matter what. And so she wrote this in her journal, which was about a week before she died.
One of my best friends about 15 years ago looked at me and he says, David. I want what you have. I just don't want to pay the price you paid to have it. Having gone through this experience, there were huge silver linings. Robbing his two sisters.
Or particularly close movies. their soulmates, their best friends. Our whole family drew near. And that nearness has never left. It's been 18 years.
We needed each other, and that has not changed since February 7th. For me, I always had these night fears as a kid. I was very afraid that someone was coming into the house. Just fear that someone was going to come and kill me or my family. I don't know.
I had this level of anxiety at night as a kid.
So he got his little sister to sleep in his room so they would get her first before he had to go. No joke. Put her by the window.
So, but Sophie is my sacrificial lamb. I'm seven, I'm eight years old, she's three years younger. I'm like, well, they'll get her first. If Sophie's not in the room, I'm sleeping on the floor in my parents' room. My sister's rooms, and I'm going to counseling for this.
It carried with me, this is embarrassing, all the way into high school. I had this fear, this anxiety, something was coming. And it ended. The night Laura died. After that, I slept in peace and I never thought about it at all.
It was an overnight. What I realized later, as I kind of put the pieces together, was what I feared the most.
Something terrible happened to my family, happened, and I was okay. The way that this experience affected us in the long term. was a life filled with more meaning, more purpose, and way less fear. You need these things to make you who you're going to be. Don't waste them when they come because they're going to come.
If you let them embitter you, you have missed. the opportunity that they offer to you, which is to grow up and to trust. And to come out of them, to be a person who doesn't have fear anymore. Being freed from fear is the biggest gift that you can receive. From A challenge like this.
You know what? Get through this thing. carrying a bunch of Anger and vengeance and bitterness. It'll never leave you. I mean, you want to get through life?
You wanna have quality of life? Don't carry all this bitterness stuff.
So we didn't do anything. Herculean or wonderful. It was just this universal thing where we felt sorry for Greg. We felt bad for Greg. And we later helped with him getting a pardon.
Right. It's like we don't want to continue the cycle of pain. Let's do what little bit that we can. Two not add more pain to the situation. You go through something like this.
And then you look and your children are soulmates and You and your wife are clothes. I mean the little stuff Cheers. Doesn't. Bother me. That's irrelevant.
I'm going to do this. It's a ticket out of the rat race if you allow it to be. A hundred percent. And a special thanks to the Trependahl family for telling this story. This beautiful story.
And to less newsome. and to Madison for putting the piece together Madison herself. is the product of all miss. and lives here in Oxford. It took no effort at all.
The dad said about how they managed to forgive Gregg. We couldn't have ginned up anger if we tried. We were sad. We we missed Laura. We're just not mad at Greg.
And When he talked about that party he threw and he invited the five guys in the Tahoe. That took her life. And then, as he said, I shed more tears during that dinner. joyful tears than I had in the entire time before, and that it was such a relief. Moreover, What the sun said that we had to grieve.
and we grieved well. The story of Laura Trependahl and Her Family. A story of grace, Forgiveness. And love. Here on Our American Stories.
This Labor Day, say goodbye to spills, stains, and overpriced furniture with washable sofas.com, featuring Anibay, the only machine-washable sofa inside and out, where designer quality meets budget-friendly pricing.
Sofas start at just $6.99, making it the perfect time to upgrade your space. Anibay's pet-friendly, stain-resistant, and interchangeable slip covers are made with high-performance fabric built for real life. You'll love the cloud-like comfort of hypoallergenic, high-resilience foam that never needs fluffing and a durable steel frame that stands the test of time. With modular pieces, you can rearrange anytime. It's a sofa that adapts to your life.
Now, through Labor Day, get up to 60% off site. Nightwide at washable sofas.com. Every order comes with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping, no restocking fees, every penny back.
Shop now at washable sofas.com. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. This is Bethany Frankl from Just Be with Bethany Frankl. You begged, they listened. After years of customers asking for it, Barkbox finally put together a collection of their most um questionable toys.
The Bark After Dark collection is for all the booty sniffers, tail chasers, and leg humpers. Very spicy, deeply suspect, and one that you definitely can't open at work.
So, however, your dog likes to play, there's no judgment here. Join Barkbox now to get the Bark After Dark collection delivered discreetly to your door and let the panting begin. Subscribe today at bark.co and get double the bark after dark goodies in your first box. Chances are you've been to the doctor recently and you've probably handed over your insurance, your ID, and even your social security number. Your doctor is just one of many places that has your personal info.
And if any of them accidentally expose your details, you could be at risk for identity theft. LifeLock monitors millions of data points a second. If you become a victim, they'll fix it, guaranteed, or your money back. Save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LifeLock and use promo code iHeart or go to lifelock.com slash iHeart for 40% off.
Terms apply. Every day has a to-do list, but adding Enjoy Belveda to yours can help you knock out the rest of it. Velveeta breakfast biscuits are a tasty and convenient breakfast option when paired with low-fat yogurt and fruit that provide steady energy all morning. While Belvida Energy Snack Bites give you the perfect mid-morning refuel, best part, they both taste great.
So make the most out of your morning with a bite of Velveeta. Pick up a pack of Belvida at your local store today. The day begins at the Chase Sapphire Lounge by the club at Boston Logan Airport. You get the clam chowder. In San Diego, it's tostadas.
New York, espresso martini. It's 10 a.m. Why not? It's the quiet before your next flight, the shower that resets your day, the menu that lets you know where you are. This is access to over 1,300 airport lounges and every sapphire lounge by the club.
And one card that gets you in: Chase Sapphire Reserve, the most rewarding card. Learn more at chase.com/slash sapphire reserve. Cards issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, and a member of FDIC, subject to credit approval. This is an iHeart podcast.