My Truth

Chapter 1

This is my story. My own, personal real life. It actually happened. 

Unfortunately for me, it hasn't stopped and stuff continues to happen to this day. I feel like I'll never stop writing this and even debated not writing it, however, why should I not call people out for what they have done? I'm expected to take accountability for my own actions as well as other peoples. 

They can take accountability for what they've done to me and my family.

And if those people are reading this: Go cry to someone who cares.  

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If this ends up posted somewhere or published, I can guarantee I'm going to get a lot of hate and gaslighting.

This is written from my own point of view, how things were told to me and what I can remember. Nobody can tell me any of this didn't happen, unless I was lied to about some of it, in which case, that is not my fault I was lied too.

I've been meaning to write this for a long time, but something always came up to stop me or I never knew where to start. I still don't, so I'm just going to write it like it's a story, since it is really.

I was born at the end of 1993, when my mother, Leana, was 16 and my father, Mark, was 21.

To understand me and my life, you'd have to understand theirs.

Leana 'Sheppy' Marie Shepherd, born in 1977, was abused at home by her own step father, from what I was told by herself. Her father, Christopher Shepherd, and her mother, Sandra Peach, had divorced or split up when she was young and Sandra moved in her children, Aiden, Leana and Krisa, with the new boyfriend, Hank Sharrock.

I'm not entirely sure on the ages at the time, but I know Krisa was an infant still. She is the youngest of the three, with Aiden being the oldest.

Growing up, Leana told me stories of how Hank would hit her and punch her. She told me once that Hank came into her room one time and punched her so hard in the face that blood splattered across the wall. Another time, he dragged her by the hair around the verandah while Sandra followed yelling that she deserved it.

During the time my mothers family was in this chaotic household, Christopher had gotten with someone else later on. I know nothing of his life prior to the birth of his next three children, Natalie, Jaime and Josh.

Leana reconnected with Christopher in her teens. I'm not sure her exact age, but I think it was before I was born.

Christopher's other children are: Natalie who is 2 or 3 years older than me, I believe. Jaime is 1 or 2 years older and Josh is just 3 months older than I am.

Leana was 15 years old when I was concieved. Mark was 20 years old. Leana had turned 16 years old 4 months prior to giving birth to me. Mark turned 21 less than a month after I was born. I'll let that sit with you for a moment.

I don't know much else about my mother's life besides the physicial and mental abuse she copped at home. She has told me she was touched by a man who lived at the caravan park, not sure which town, when she was 7 years old.

I know nothing of Christopher's childhood, and only know that Sandra's parents died young. She told me she was 4 years old when they died, and grew up with an aunty and uncle, who abused her. I learned later her mother died in an accident and her father died later on. Again, this is just what I was told.

Mark 'Howie' Stanley Howarth, born in 1972, the youngest child to Bruce Arthur Howarth and Colleen Ita Teasdale. Both of my grandparents were born the late 1940s and were married when Colleen was about 19 years old.