Forgiveness is a hard road to walk. Many are unable to take the journey that allows them to escape from the anger and sadness that comes from injuries inflicted by others. Becki Reiser, her husband, Jeff, and their three sons decided 14 years ago to walk that road. Their efforts have culminated in Becki’s book, “Through My Tears: Awash in Forgiveness.”
The Reisers’ daughter, Elizabeth, was brutally murdered May 23, 2000, by a 27-year-old father of three, who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol. “Liz” and her friend Brandi Hicks, of New Philadelphia, had attended Brandi’s choir banquet at Buckeye Career Center. Afterward, they decided to rent some videos from Hollywood Video and take them to Brandi’s house, where Liz was spending the night.
That is where they met Matthew Vaca, who asked them for a ride home after telling them his car had broken down, and that he would give them $20 to take him about a mile away.
“Ordinarily, Liz would never have been out on a school night,” Becki said, “but it was only a few days until her graduation and all of her work was finished, so we let her go. She was our first-born, the first answer to my prayers to be a wife and mother.”
The girls, who had been taught by their parents and their church that helping others was the right thing to do, met Vaca at 9:30 p.m. May 22. At 3:45 a.m. May 23, the Reisers were notified that Liz was missing. Brandi had been attacked and thrown in the river. She escaped and flagged down a car, which took her to the Dover police station.
At 5 a.m., Jeff was reading his Bible. When he opened it, it was to the scripture Matthew: 5:4, which read, “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” When they arrived at the hospital at 6 a.m., Jeff told authorities, “I already know my daughter is dead, and we forgive the man who did this.”
“I had a choice,” Becki said. “I could agree or disagree, and I chose forgiveness because it freed me from whatever I was going to have to face. It gave me the peace and strength to face forward. Some people thought we just didn’t want to go through the appeals process because it takes so long, but I have to tell you, you still live it every day.”