Love Should Never Hurt

04/07/2026

In May 2018, I created El Mirage Cares, a program created to reach out to parents and children to help them as they face the various challenges they can experience throughout life. Below was an event held in 2018 on Su***de Prevention.

Last night's El Mir❤ge C❤res event had some great speakers and in spite of being hit by a hard rainstorm, there were people who needed it who showed up.

All who came benefited by learning more and being able to better understand some of the how and why some teens and others can be so overcome with things that they may think about su***de.

There was a mother sitting next to me who was listening intently and taking notes. She came out of great concern for her teenage daughter who had been talking of committing su***de.

This is why we held this event. If we can help save one life as a result of last night's forum, it was worth it.

We will soon be posting a section of El Mir❤ge C❤res Community Resources on our City website with contact information for the various organizations who can provide help regarding the various issues covered by these forums.

03/24/2026

This 💯💯💯

02/09/2026

This isn’t “losing control.”
This is a predictor of death — and too many people still minimize it.

02/09/2026

Illinois Mother of Six Stabbed to Death by Ex-Husband While Walking to Her Car — A Domestic Violence Ambush Caught on Camera‼️ Trigger Warning‼️

She was 41 years old.
A mother of six.
And police say she was stabbed to death by her ex-husband just steps from her home — while simply trying to get to her car.

Authorities in Illinois say Ashley Stewart was walking toward her garage when surveillance footage captured her ex-husband, Ryan Dodd, following her. Moments later, she was found unresponsive. First responders pronounced her dead at the scene.

This was not random violence.
This was intimate partner violence after separation — one of the most lethal stages of abuse.

Police arrested Dodd approximately 30 minutes after the attack, charging him with first-degree murder, home invasion, and aggravated stalking. Investigators say the attack was targeted, and the charges reflect a pattern of pursuit, not a sudden encounter.

Ashley’s loved ones describe her as a “beacon of light” — a devoted mother whose life revolved around her children. Now, those six children are left without their mother, their lives permanently altered by a violent act that unfolded in seconds but was likely building long before that night.

Law enforcement has asked residents for any additional security footage, as investigators work to piece together the timeline leading up to the killing. But advocates stress that the most important timeline is often ignored: the weeks, months, or years of warning signs that precede lethal domestic violence.

Experts have long warned that stalking, following, repeated unwanted contact, and fixation after a relationship ends are among the strongest predictors of intimate partner homicide. Leaving does not always mean safety — and for many survivors, it is when danger escalates most rapidly.

Ashley Stewart’s death exposes a pattern seen again and again: when stalking and threats are minimized, when obsessive behavior is dismissed, and when survivors are left to navigate fear alone, violence can turn fatal without warning to the outside world.

This was not just a loss.
It was a preventable outcome of unchecked domestic violence escalation.

And six children will grow up with that truth.

Why do stalking and post-separation warning signs continue to be minimized — and what would it take for communities to intervene before violence turns deadly?

📞 If this story hits close to home, you are not alone.
📞 BTSADV Support Line: 1-855-BTS-1777
🕘 9 AM – 9 PM CST | 7 days a week

12/15/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/1D7bF1EFHG/

I just heard a woman say "Never trust a man who would rather prove a point than ensure you're protected" and I had to share. This hit differently because it exposes a dangerous pattern that too many women overlook.

When a man prioritizes being "right" or teaching you a lesson over your actual safety and well-being, that's not leadership or discipline—that's ego and control.

A man who truly cares about you will never put you in harm's way just to prove he was right about something. He won't let you walk home alone in the dark because you had an argument.

He won't ignore your calls when you need help because he's still upset. He won't withhold support when you're vulnerable just to make you "learn" something. That's not love—that's manipulation disguised as life lessons.

Real men protect, even when they're frustrated. Even when they're angry. Even when you're wrong. Their priority is your safety, not their pride. They understand that being right means nothing if the person they claim to care about gets hurt in the process.

They don't weaponize their protection or use your need for safety as leverage in disagreements.

So if a man would rather see you struggle, suffer, or be in danger just to teach you a lesson or prove a point, that tells you everything about his character. He values his ego more than your well-being. And that's not someone you can build a safe, healthy relationship with. Remember that.

11/07/2025

Love isn't about control. If you know someone facing abuse, please connect with our non-crisis support line for help: 1-855-BTS-1777 💜