Marmora helps Harold and Freddie nee Fisher HEAL

Growing up in a small-town in Ontario in the 70s and 80s wasn't as perfect as people would have today's youth believe. Technology might be causing social and mental health issues in youth today, but back then, neglect and abuse could be seen ever where, if you just looked a little beneath the surface... Have you ever been haunted by a situation in adulthood that was out of your control as a child, but felt like an ongoing nightmare? That was my experience watching two classmates suffer abuse at the hands of their guardians. I was just a classmate who felt powerless to help, especially in my family that was barely scraping by, but even then I was troubled by their primary abuse by parents and secondary abuse by a neglectful education system and quiet community. The town was Marmora, Ontario and the abused children were Harold and Freddie Fisher who were tortured by their guardians, Stu and Barbara, who were just convicted of their crimes and slapped with a light sentence due to their advanced age.

I remember the boys stealing food from our lunch pails at Earl Prentice Elementary School and being punished. They were just starving children.

I remember their haunted looks at school and stories of being locked out of the house in the winter as punishment. They were abused for 10 years and no one seemed to care or help. That's where we come in...

Money doesn't solve all the world's problems, but it can certainly help.

Please give something to this fundraiser for these two (now) grown men whose lives have been forever changed by their stolen childhood and partially destroyed lives. I have kept the amount low because I'm hoping Marmora will surprise these two victims with its generousity. I'm going to add a victim impact statement from one of the men to illustrate their current struggles.

To any donors, thank you for your support. To Harold and Freddie, please accept our apology for the injustice inflicted upon each of you. If only we could go back and change history. Others have shed tears, and suffered trauma, over your abuse. I'm crying just writing this.

Sincerely,

Catherine Reynolds

by James Akey

Facebook, May 30, 2025

Thank you all for the kind words and the out pouring of support. This may be a little bit personal but I feel the need to share it.....

Final Victim Impact Statement

To Barb and Stewart,

My life has been a complete physical and mental struggle because of the abuse I endured. Every day has been a battle—one that I continue to fight. I refuse to give up, no matter how hard it gets. Despite everything you did to me, despite the deep scars you left, I will keep pushing forward.

You both lived your fantastic life while we struggled, living in poverty, deprived of basic comfort and safety. While you enjoyed your freedom, we were trapped in a nightmare we couldn't escape. But I refuse to let that define me, and I refuse to let it break me entirely.

I cannot ever forget the torturous abuse and trauma you inflicted. Stewart, you hanging us by our wrists, whipping us, and forcing me to stay in the dog kennel—those images are burned into my mind. They are the reason I still wake up from night terrors, unable to find peace in my sleep. The trauma never fully leaves. It follows me, haunting me in ways I cannot explain.

Barbara, your unpredictable, violent outbursts—using sticks, rulers, belts, and even knives over the smallest, most normal child behaviors—have left me with a constant state of fear. The unpredictability of your actions left me always wondering when the next attack would come, and now I live with that fear every day. The fight, flight, or hide responses have become ingrained in me, and I’m always on eggshells, trying to anticipate the worst. Even in situations where there is no threat, my body is constantly in a state of heightened alert, trying to protect myself from something that may never come—but still feels like a constant presence.

This is the reality I live with. The emotional, mental, and physical scars from your actions affect every aspect of my life, from my relationships to my sense of security to my ability to trust. But despite everything, I will continue to rebuild, piece by piece, even when it feels like the weight of this trauma is too much to carry.

You may have broken me in ways you will never fully understand, but I will never give up. I am here, still fighting to survive, to heal, and to live a life that is mine. A life you tried to take away.

No matter how many times the darkness creeps in, I refuse to be consumed by it. Every day is a small victory, a step towards reclaiming what you tried to destroy. I am not the person you tried to mold, and I am not defined by the pain you inflicted. I am rebuilding myself from the ground up, stronger than I was yesterday, and I will continue to rise above the shadows you cast over me. Shame on you both for taking in and adopting two toddler boys at their most vulnerable state, only to torturously abuse them for ten years. You preyed on our innocence, took advantage of our trust, and destroyed our childhoods in ways that no child should ever experience. You stole our safety and joy, and for that, you will never escape the gravity of what you did.