Published: May 02, 2009 12:18 am      

Hayes tells audience of long road to forgiveness

Five years ago inside his Frankston residence, Fred Hayes, in the twilight of his life, was brutally murdered by a woman 28 years his junior.

That woman was his wife.

For two years, Christopher Hayes, the murdered man’s grandson, said his emotions shifted from anger to sadness to confusion as he attempted to make sense out of a senseless killing.

“I even questioned my own beliefs and my own faith at times because of that situation and my own circumstances,” Christopher Hayes said.

As the Anderson County Courthouse faded into the distance in his truck’s rearview mirror on March 6, 2006, however, Christopher Hayes said he put it all behind him and true healing began.

An hour earlier, Wanda Blackwelder had been sentenced to 30 years in prison at the conclusion of her trial.

“For the very first time, I was able to tell myself, ‘It’s finished, it’s over,’” Christopher Hayes said.

For the past three years, Christopher Hayes, grandson of a murder victim, has elected to “use that horrible event for good,” speaking to young people and others about the power of forgiveness.

Christopher Hayes was among the speakers at Friday night’s Anderson County Victims’ Tribute Dinner at the Anderson County Courthouse Annex which was attended by approximately 100 people, including numerous local crime victims and their family members.

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week began Sunday throughout the U.S. and concludes today.

Testimony during her trial showed Blackwelder, raging on a lethal mix of medication and alcohol, used a plastic, decorative peacock to deliver 58 blunt and sharp force blows to Fred Hayes’ head and face.

Fred Hayes was 85 and had limited mobility, suffering from a balance disorder.

Still, on Friday night, Christopher Hayes told the audience _ many of whom are recent victims of crime and some whose loved one’s killer is on Death Row _ that forgiveness has served him well.

“It’s been five years,” Christopher Hayes said. “I’m blessed to say I’ve received so much healing since then. I also want to encourage each and every one of you with forgiveness. There is hope you can heal from that terrible time in your life.”

At the conclusion of Friday’s dinner, Anderson County District Attorney Doug Lowe was presented a painting of himself by Verna Bowman.

Bowman is the grandmother of 2-year-old Nikki Curtis who was murdered by her biological father in early 2002.

Friday’s event was organized by Cheryl Williams, crime victims’ coordinator for the Anderson County district attorney’s office.

Sponsors of the event included J.T.’s Custom Catering, Verda’s Flowers, Ben E. Keith and Palestine Regional Medical Center.

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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com

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For more pictures from Friday's banquet, see the Herald-Press Photo Gallery on this web site.