I know still Brenda is innocent, but we didn’t pay any bribes or play the game, and I still say it was all about that. It was all circumstantial evidence against Brenda. She worked for the man. So what? That’s all the evidence you’ve got? They wanted to let us know who’s boss, but it’s a person’s life at stake.

I still can’t believe it. It hasn’t sunk in.

I found out while I was in my living room with all kinds of media around pointing their cameras at me. They set up a TV monitor in here because I don’t have a TV. I just happened to see it go across the bottom of the screen that she was found guilty. I guess I screamed, though I don’t really remember.

It does soften the blow to know Brenda might be home in a few weeks, but I just worry about Brenda’s fragile state. To be told you’re guilty when you’re not guilty...that’s pretty hard to take.

Brenda had called earlier today and she was just out-of-her-mind hysterical. They wouldn’t let her friend Deb Tieleman in today – the only day she really needed her friend and they didn’t let her in.

What kind of a society is Mexico? I guess we have to realize we’re dealing with a different country. I just hope Canadians and Americans take note of this. This could happen to anyone, and I don’t want this to happen to another family. This has just been devastating.

*****

I have support around; all kinds of neighbors have been by. I’m looking at a whole container of cookies, and cake…(long sigh) It’s been a long day. The phone started ringing off the hook before 7 a.m. this morning. I just want to know that Brenda’s ok, and I don’t know when I’ll get to talk to her.

I can’t go down to Mexico. On Friday I’ve got an MRI and I see the neurosurgeon on the fifth of May. I can’t go to a foreign country with my medical issues.

When I do talk to her I’ll say “Brenda, hang in,” because I think it will be very fast that she’ll get back. I don’t think she’ll serve any time here. I think…I hope…the Canadian people know that she didn’t do anything wrong. I won’t rest until she’s back on Canadian soil.

The other day when she was going on about how they wronged her I told her that she’s got to look forward. I said, “You can’t look back, because it’s only going to destroy you.” She’s got to take heart in the fact that many, many people believe she is innocent.

How am I going to face the day tomorrow? I guess I’ll have to face cameras again tomorrow morning. I know I’ve got radio at 7:40 a.m.

We have to keep the pressure on the Mexicans to get her out of there swiftly. Canadians should think about traveling there very carefully, because it seems they have something out for Canadians. I also read that something like 2,500 Americans were killed in Mexico last year. That’s hard to believe, but there’s so much corruption. When you’re brought up in our system, it’s just hard to believe that this all goes on.

I just hope Brenda will be home soon. I just hope.

*****

If you were interested in this story, you may also be interested in My Daughter Is Languishing In A Mexican Prison [1].