Call Me Shelley
Hi. My name is Michelle. My friends call me Shelley. If you have found your way to this page, I consider you a friend.
For 22 years and 10 months I had the distinct privilege of knowing Corey Laykovich better than anyone on earth. I am his mom.
I used to tease him because he was born C-section. He was breach, and from that moment on, he did everything backwards.
When he had struggles through school, we handled it together. When he was bullied for being small, we handled it together. We could look at each other and know what kind of day we had.
He is my son. I am his mom. I don’t write this in the past form, because the only thing that has changed between us is:
He was murdered. He died on 7/28/2013
My relationship with him has not changed. I love him as much today as the day he died.
I also have my soul mate (Bob) and Corey’s two younger brothers. We are dealing with the grief as individuals, and as a family. We are re-inventing ourselves, our traditions, and our relationships.
But we are still the same people we were on July 26th.
One of the most painful things I think we are dealing with is we are now “that family”.
We hear it whispered as we enter a restaurant. Someone in the room always says, “What family?”
“You know. The one whose son was murdered in Independence.”
They think they are being sensitive in whispering it.
Let me tell you what I’d rather you do:
1. When you recognize me, say hello. I’m really quite nice.
2. If you start to cry, don’t say you’re sorry. Your tears show me you care.
3. If I don’t cry, don’t think I’m heartless. I cry when I need to… its more often than I let people know. But I deal with this 24 hours a day.
4. If I do cry, don’t make a big deal about it. You didn’t make me cry… the murderer did.
5. If you ask me how I am, be patient… anything could come out of my mouth.
6. If I tell a story about Corey, don’t wince. I need to be able to remember him for who he is to me.
7. If you have a story about Corey, share it with me. It helps me to know you remember the good in my son.
8. Don’t whisper about my son’s murder. Because I certainly will not.
I will shout about it. I’ll interview about it. And on this page I write about it.
Soon there will be a billboard announcing to the WORLD that I will not stop until my sons murderer has been found.
And as my friend, I want you to do the same.
Because this kind of crime will NEVER stop until we QUIT WHISPERING ABOUT IT!!
So, please… Call me Shelley
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