Today, August 4, 2023, has brought back every emotion of sadness, frustration, and outright anger, in reliving the nightmare of 20 years ago. August 4, 2003, changed our lives as we knew it. Our family was rocked by a wrongful conviction caused by a lie to protect two sexual predators, who to this day, walk free. On December 3, 2019, Roynes was exonerated, and his name cleared; however, today marks the 20 years that they sentenced him to.
Had it not been for the Hawaii Innocence Project taking his case, he would just be preparing to walk free from serving time for a crime he did not commit. Although thankful he was exonerated, today is a reminder of the trauma forced upon him, the devastation that rocked a very close family and forever changed him, us, and the life we once knew.
I can’t tell you how much pain that causes because I can only speak for myself, I can’t speak for him. I can only imagine what he is going through mentally and emotionally, and even then, I can only imagine to a certain extent. I see what he is missing out on while he is having to relive injustices at the hands of a severely flawed judicial system, having to relive what took place 20 years ago, having to do everything possible to remain a pillar for the family (despite going through PTSD, etc.), and knowing that all of those who had a hand in ruining life as you knew it, live as if they did nothing wrong. While you still pick up the pieces, and work to rebuild all that was taken from you, they live as if they had no hand in what you and your family went through.
As a spouse, or significant other, having to sit back and be strong, patient, and wait for what most consider a normal life with their other half or loved one, is a constant battle. Not being able to have that normalcy you thought would be there when they came home is a hard pill to swallow. You have this new normalcy that is a struggle, has to be worked through, and requires more patience than you could have ever imagined. It is not easy. They are not who they were when the false accusation and/or conviction took place.
I want a normal family life. Where the kids have time with us as a family regularly, not just mom and the kids most of the time. Will it ever come? Will that ever be a possibility? Probably not, but as a wife and mother, it’s not wrong to wish for it, pray for it, and remain hopeful that one day, maybe not in the very near future, but one day, it will come. Problem with that is, time keeps moving and as the kids get older, those special moments that are being missed, will be lost forever.
The consistent quality time that we could have together as partners in this thing called life, has passed, time that we can’t get back. And the flawed system and those who created this hell for us, win yet again. The time they stole from us 20 years ago, continues to be stolen from us even now. And yet, we keep praying, keep fighting, keep pushing. This IS our normal.
False accusations and wrongful convictions are caused by evil individuals, by people who should be forced to endure the pain they put upon others at the hands of their vindictive ways, their lies, their bitterness, whatever you want to call it. Falsely accusing someone should never be accepted and should come with harsh penalties. The example needs to be set somewhere.
I just know it has been long enough and yet our family continues to suffer from it. I don’t wish this hell on anyone. May all who are going through this struggle find hope and see that light at the end of the very long tunnel ahead. Remain strong, together, and hold each other close. Keep fighting for your loved one, be patient, and hang on, it won’t be easy, continue loving each other and keep pushing. And truly, your loved one needs you to remain strong, for them, for you, for your family. It’s not easy, and it won’t be quick, but hang in there, there is light at the end……just keep reaching for it.