Judy Shepard ist die Mutter von Matthew Shepard, dessen tragischer Mordfall zu einem Aufsehen erregenden Fall wurde, der Hassverbrechen gegen LGBT-Personen beleuchtete. Gemeinsam mit ihrem Mann Dennis gründete sie die Matthew Shepard Foundation. Als engagierte Verfechterin der LGBT-Rechte wird ihre Arbeit von tiefem persönlichem Verlust und dem Engagement für Gleichheit und Sicherheit für alle angetrieben.
Describes the author's struggle to cope with the loss of her son, discussing first-hand the days immediately following his murder in 1998, including the incredible response from strangers, navigating the legal system, and why she became a gay rights activist
The mother of Matthew Shepard shares her story about her son's death and the choice she made to become an international gay rights activist. Today, the name Matthew Shepard is synonymous with gay rights, but before his grisly murder in 1998, Matthew was simply her son. For the first time in book form, Judy Shepard speaks about her loss, sharing memories of Matthew, their life as a typical American family, and the pivotal event that changed everything. The book follows the Shepard family in the days after the crime, when their incapacitated son was on life support; how they learned of the response from strangers all across America who held candlelit vigils and memorial services for their child; and finally, how they struggled to navigate the legal system as Matthew's murderers were on trial. It not only captures the historical significance and civil rights issues, but it also chronicles one ordinary woman's struggle to cope with the unthinkable.--From publisher description