Crossing Over (14 page)

Special Thanks

Rick Farrant

I
owe a great debt of gratitude to those people who encouraged my talents, confirmed my compassion and, in some cases, literally saved my life.

Among them:

Susie, Amber, Tyler, and Nicholas Farrant, who give me love, inspiration and unwavering support, no matter my transgressions. I love you all.

Ottie and Irene Garrett, who trusted me implicitly and have became good friends during the course of our work together.

Phyllis Rogers and Joan Warner-Engel, who believe more in me than I do in myself.

Sandy Thorn Clark, Steve Penhollow, Jason Stein, and Carroll Ann Moore, who read this manuscript and provided invaluable feedback. You are journalists, writers, and colleagues of the highest order.

Jim Plessinger, Gay Cook, Clint Wilkinson, Mike Whitehead, Chuck Morris, and Lawrence Pettit, who saw a fire in me and took the time to help fan it.

Jim Carrier, whose words “to someone who also dreams of words beyond newspapers” have stuck with me all these years, and to countless others whose written words have buoyed me.

Gideon Weil and the fine folks at Harper San Francisco, who believed Irene's story was worth telling.

Bill Gaither, Rebecca St. James, Ginny Owens, and Father Joseph Girzone, who have been brief but powerful spiritual spark plugs.

All of my other interview subjects along the way—from John Mellencamp to Debbie Reynolds—who shared their deepest thoughts and sterling wisdoms.

James Perkins, an estranged but once-important friend who brought light to an unhappy childhood, and Ruby McGown and Rhea Edmonds, newfound friends who prosper because they believe and dream.

The Robys, Wilsons, and Gilchrists, who made an adopted child feel like a full-fledged member of the family.

Dr. Basil Genetos, who repaired a broken heart and kept it running long enough to see this project through. Keep it up, doc.

And, finally, God, who led me to his altar in my darkest hour and taught me how to receive and revere him.

Special Thanks

Ruth Irene Garrett

I
hope this small gesture shows my gratitude to so many people who have given me support, kindness, understanding, and love.

Our friends and family in Christ, Rev. James A Bettermann and family, The Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Mark and Kathy Tooley and daughters, Ron and Kathy Zielke, Martha Zielke, Arthur and Fletta Diamond, Neva and the late Bob Gielow, Caroll and Susan Smiley, Ann Padilla, Starlot and James Pierce, Ray and Carol Penhollow, Dallas Flowers, Mark and Marion Easterday and family, Connie and Bill Beach, “Mama” Ellen, Patrick and Christina Stewart and family, Robert and Judy Stokes and daughters, Nanette Varian of
Glamour
magazine, and Beth Polson of Polson Productions.

My Aunt Edna and Jake Schmucker and those in my family who had the courage and kindness to come visit our home.

Betty and Don Gumm, Mike, and the late Freda Jewell for their friendship and letting us live on their “Home Place.”

My husband's family and his children, I love you all. A special thank you to my father-in-law, Ottie Garrettt Sr. Our home is beautiful.

A special thank you to Monte Garrett and his four friends, Fred McDonald, Chris Chase, Richard Hoover, and the late Wayne Wilson for their midnight escapade, moving Ottie's household belongings from Iowa to Kentucky in record time.

Gideon Weil, Liz Perle, and Harper San Francisco for publishing my story.

In closing, my family and my Amish heritage will remain a part of me and I love them all unconditionally.

About the Author

RUTH IRENE GARRETT left the Amish faith in 1996 and was ultimately excommunicated. She currently lives with her husband, Ottie, in Kentucky where they devote their time to helping Amish families who have left their communities. RICK FARRANT is an award-winning journalist and an editor at the Fort-Wayne Journal Gazette.

 

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Copyright

CROSSING OVER:
One Woman's Escape from Amish Life.
Copyright © 2003 by Ruth Irene Garrett with Rick Farrant. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins ebooks.

 

HarperCollins Web site: http://www.harpercollins.com

 

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®, and HarperOne™ are trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers.

 

The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

ISBN 978–0–06–052992–5

Epub Edition © FEBRUARY 2013 ISBN: 9780062277107

 

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