unrestrained jane

One year of zero contact with the psychopath con artist (literally, not figuratively). That’s one year ago now, since I “woke up” and protected myself and my family from the man who deceived, depleted and abused us so coldly and calculatingly. I’m finally eligible for divorce; this will happen as soon as I can afford the associated financial costs. 

In that year I’ve healed physically from his abuse, and I’ve largely healed emotionally, but still won’t ever see the world the same way. The damage is lasting in some ways… mainly trust issues. Trusting others and trusting my own judgment will never be the same. 

I haven’t said a lot about what happened, but to celebrate this day, I offer you a glimpse into what I survived at the hands of this one psychopath…

I’ve known him since we were teens. I never had reason to question the things he’s shared with me about his many unfortunate experiences and his many amazing accomplishments. We take the things our friends tell us at face value… at least, I used to. By this time last year I had shockingly uncovered that almost everything he’d told me over the years was a lie of some sort. It all fell apart for him because I persisted and wouldn’t ignore that voice in me that told me to survive. 

In September of 2012 he arrived, from his hometown across the country, on my doorstep, with two suitcases and a backpack. He claimed he’d been drugged and raped at a swingers party and that it’d been arranged by his girlfriend of 5 years, with whom he had two step-children that came out of two separate affairs she’d had while they were together. He claimed he’d contracted HIV from the rape and that his father, who allegedly abused him sexually as a young boy, had banished him from the family home for being an “aidsfaggot” and that his girlfriend beat him and his mother up and abducted the kids that he had sole custody of. He was still on WCB from a forklift accident he had the year before. He was a mess and humbly asked for a couch to take a break for a few weeks while he figured out his next move. I took him in. 

Four months later I’d somehow fallen in love with him. It was magical… he was *perfect* for me in every way. I didn’t care if he had HIV, or was hurt and couldn’t work and had step-kids he was fighting for, etc. The baggage  didn’t matter. We were soulmates. It felt like I’d fallen in love with my best friend. I’d somehow fallen so deeply that I agreed to a rush wedding in April 2013, just four months after we started dating. It was one of the happiest days of my life (at the time).

In the past year and a bit, it was revealed (with undeniable proof for each fact) that pretty much everything was a lie…

– The HIV was a lie. He maintained that lie while I had to go on anti-retrovirals for six weeks due to a condom break a week after our wedding, and then again six months later when I was cleaning and stuck myself with a used needle (I had no idea he was using needles in the house!!!) He never had HIV, and he knew it. He went to great lengths to fake it and to milk as much compassion, opportunity, and pity as he could. 

– The allegations that his father sexually abused him were a lie. The accusations and events he put his poor family through are bone-chilling. I’ve seen very colorful medical, psych and juvenile criminal records dating back to his childhood. He’d been diagnosed by one psychiatrist at an institution he was at as a psychopath as a teen. He put his parents and sibling through sheer hell. 

– That his step-children aren’t biologically his and arose out of infidelity was a lie. They are his biological children; he’s a deadbeat dad. He threatens to abduct them or harm their mom, and keeps her living in fear. 

– That his children’s mother beat him and his mother was a lie; in fact, he struck her, more than once. He tried to press charges against her, making her life hell. She’s still afraid of him; as am I, so I don’t blame her. 

– That he got raped at a swingers party was an elaborate lie to set the stage for the HIV lie so he Gould gain pity and opportunity. 

– That he had been clean of hard drugs for many, many years was a lie… he hid a painkiller addiction that turned out to be an IV heroin addiction (when his crazy does shine through, he blames it on “addiction” and “PTSD” to encourage pity for him). 

– That he has ever had cancer was a lie. He faked liver cancer about a decade ago. And is currently faking advanced liver disease and interferon treatment. He even made conflicting statements in the media this past Xmas when he was featured on the local news, HuffPost and local newspapers (for begging for food via Reddit). He later got called out on Reddit and subsequently largely deleted (or set to private) his previously large web presence complete with various fundraising campaigns (all for his own pocket money). 

– That he has the capacity for empathy or has ever truly cared for or loved another human being was and is a lie. He is a predator through and through. There is no cure. 

The list is not exhaustive. Not even close. He crashed my car, strained relationships with and stressed out the kids, smashed electronics, ruined my house, destroyed friendships, isolated me, drained my bank and credit, made false claims to doctors and police, berated me with abuse daily, and tried to destroy my reputation. He *almost* broke my will to live. The list goes on…

THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU. IT COULD HAPPEN TO ANYONE. Trust me, I am the last person who anyone thought would be duped by a psychopath. I’m experienced, jaded as fuck, educated, and intelligent But it still happened. 

I am now one year free. He has a criminal record for assault and breaching probation by violating the no-contact condition. And he legally cannot come near me or my children. I have regained myself, and my life. 

I share this because it happened. I share this because my story is valid and because I AM NOT ASHAMED and I believe our society needs more awareness about psychopathy and sociopathy, as well as domestic abuse in general. 

Questions, comments, or sharing your experiences are most welcome. This was written from a place of healing, not anger. I’ve reclaimed my peace and strength. You can too. 

(written March 7, 2015; picture added January 4, 2017)