A brief
summary of
FAITH IN THE
FACE OF MURDER
_______________
How a Grandfather Survived Agonizing Losses
and Began a New Life as a Single Parent
by Don Hatfield
with D.
Patrick Miller
A
few years ago, 64-year-old Don Hatfield of Napa, California was looking forward
to a natural slowdown in life with his beloved wife Janey while he continued a successful
art career as a modern American Impressionist painter. But Janey passed away
from cancer in January of 2012. One month after her funeral, Don received the
agonizing news that his beautiful daughter Rachel, the mother of three young
children, had been brutally slain by her husband, Todd Winkler.
Within
another week, he found himself taking sole custody of Rachel’s kids.
The
tragic and sensational story of Rachel’s killing led to eight stories in the
Sacramento Bee (http://www.sacbee.com/search/?q=don+hatfield)
and a Pulitzer-nominated photo essay portraying Don and his new family by Bee
photographer Renee C. Byer. This story has already had a one-hour treatment
from CBS’ 48 Hours (http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/the-two-faces-of-todd-winkler/)
, and in the spring and summer of 2015 will also be reported by NBC’s Dateline
and ABC’s 20/20. While it’s not unusual for sensational crime stories to
receive some network coverage, it’s rare when all three major networks feature the
same story.
And that’s because there is far more
to this story than a brutal killing. It also provides a glimpse into a new
generational phenomenon of elder parenting –
and it revolves around the unique character and courage of Don Hatfield.
NPR
recently reported that up to ten percent of American children now live in the
same household as their grandparents. In many cases, the seniors are the
primary caretakers. A plain-spoken, born-again Christian who graduated from
Fuller Theological Seminary, Don Hatfield is the first to proclaim that “I’m
not a saint.” But many people would wonder how anyone but a saint could rise to
the challenge of parenting three youngsters after staggering losses while
“grieving on the fly,” as Don puts it.
In
Faith
in the Face of Murder, Don will tell the whole story of his stunning late-stage
change of life, beginning with a portrayal of his relationship to his daughter
Rachel, her killing and the subsequent trial leading to her husband’s
conviction, and an intimate portrait of how he manages life as a single parent
while also trying to keep his art career going. Don will also offer what many
victims of crime cannot: a thoughtful religious perspective on how the key
spiritual values of faith and forgiveness can enable anyone to surmount the
seemingly impossible challenges that life may present to anyone at any moment.
Don
Hatfield’s story will be skillfully organized and presented by veteran author
and editor
D. Patrick Miller, author of two books on popular spirituality currently
available from Random House and Tarcher-Penguin. Miller is also the founder of
his own press, Fearless Books, and
has previously ghostwritten, collaborated, and edited scores of books for both
major and independent houses. His resume is available on request to any
interested publisher.
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