Feb 14, 2023. Our silence and inaction create a culture where predators can thrive. Instead, they told their young daughter to apologise to her abuser. Kyle Stephens. Julia was born on September 10, 1957 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada to Gordon and Carol Harris. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. Stephens said Nassar denied the abuse and my parents chose to believe Larry Nassar over me. She said her parents made her speak with Nassar about the allegations, and the predator allegedly told her, No one should ever do that, and if they do, you should tell someone.. I wanted him (Nassar)to hear what happened to my daughter the fact that he started the process of her self-destruction, according to video posted on the Lansing State Journal website. Our inaction protects predators, and anyone who doesnt see remedying this problem as a priority is unfit to lead our country. He had pleaded guilty to seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving girls who were 15 years old or younger and faces sentencing next week after pleading to three more counts in a nearby county. Father of Three Larry Nassar Victims Lunges at 'Demon' Doctor in Court, Disgraced Former Gymnastics Doctor Larry Nassar Sentenced to 175 Years for Sexually Abusing Girls, Father Who Lunged at Larry Nassar in Courtroom: 'I'm No Hero, My Daughters Are the Heroes', pleaded guilty in November to several counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Stephens was also a babysitter to Nassars children, and in court, she accused him of rubbing his genitalia on her and digitally penetrating her among other things. STEPHENS - Brandon Kyle Stephens, Sr., 25, of Yulee passed away Saturday, June 24, 2017. Put another way, they didn't want to believe that . And he said to me, If you ever want to see it, all you have to do is ask.". 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. She said: "You convinced my parents that you didn't pull my feet into your lap, unzip your pants, and rub your erect penis against my bare skin. Predators rely on silence, fear and shame to keep their victims quiet. But her parents were friends with Nassar and his wife, and she said her family typically had dinner with the Nassars every Sunday at their home in Holt, Michigan. greenhill funeral home obituaries. Nov 13, 2021. "Sitting on my living room couch, I listened to you tell me no one should ever do that, and if they do, you should tell someone. She was a retired Registered Nurse. When he left this world, he was my rock.. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. This is what it looks like. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. These are the brave women who confronted disgraced Olympic doctor Larry Nassar. He is survived by his wife Karissa; three children: Connor, Ryker and Ethan; three siblings: Cearra (Josh) Thompson, Kyler Tryon and Cory Stephens; birth father, James Howington, Jr.; birth mother . Green Forest, AR, 1985 - 2022. And then, it begins. Unlike the other victims, Stephens is not an athlete, but has known Nassar for most of her life. In reading her impact statement in court, Stephens revealed that her father, who had multiple mental health issues, committed suicide. They did not listen in 1997 or 1998 or 1999 or 2000 or 2004 or 2014. They grow into strong women that return to destroy your world.. Throughout my career, I have worked very hard to put Team MSU first. Kyle Stephens, who was abused by Nassar from the ages of 6 to 12, was one of the former gymnasts to read out her statement in a Michigan court, in which she detailed Nassar's crimes. By using her name, publicly, and putting her face out there on TV for the whole world to see, Kyle sends a message: "I am not ashamed.". Stephens decided two weeks . Larry is hunched over, in a faded blue jail jumpsuit and orange Crocs. I testified to let the world know that you are a repulsive liar.. This cannot go on. Nassar was the team physician for the Michigan State University gymnastics and womens crew teams, as well as an associate professor at MSUs College of Osteopathic Medicine. Emma Winowiecki/Jodi Westrick/Michigan Radio. This is what it looks like when institutions create a culture where a predator can flourish, unafraid and unabated. Paul Young Stephens, a resident of Prairieville, passed away on Thursday, March 23, 2017 at the age of 56. The Nassar scandal has done more than expose Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics for their inaction and malpractice it has exposed each and every one of us for our contribution to this problem. Paul was a loving father, husband, son and brother who enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. By that time, 156 women had come forward to testify against him. And for USA Gymnastics, Rachael has this message: Larry Nassar is one symptom of a much larger infection. Speaking to Nassar in court in January 2018 while testifying against him, she said: You convinced my parents that I was a liar.. On the first day of sentencing Kyle Stephens, who blames Nassar for her father's suicide, revealed how he repeatedly abused her between the ages of six and 12 at her family home. Now, Athlete A, a new Netflix documentary, shares the stories of the women, including Kyle Stephens, who were abused by Nassar and their fight for justice. Nov 13, 2021. Kyle Stephens mentioned he got very sick and believes it was the mixture of him getting sick and hearing that Nassar was being charged. Later, Stephens said her father had apologised to her countless times when discovering the full extent of her abuse. Several victims gave emotional testimony on Tuesday and asked Ingham County Court Judge Rosemarie Aquilina to impose the maximum sentence. The first day survivors get to face him, in person. I lost my father to his guilt. He loved to hunt, fish and spend time with his family. Jim was born on April 20, 1933 in Walsenburg, Colorado to Geraldine Hudson McAlpine and Victor Paul Hudson and passed away on February 24, 2023 at his home in Amarillo, Texas with his family by his side at the age of 89. He can't hurt anyone ever again," she said. He messed up big," she added. In March, USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny resigned amid criticism of the organizations handling of the scandal. Find service information, send flowers, and leave memories and thoughts in the Guestbook for your loved one. Or, "Can I give you a hug?" At a 2017 court hearing involving the Nassar case, he told the court thatsince his retirement, he suffered a stroke and has experienced memory loss. Every day we do nothing, we send a message to victims everywhere that their pain doesnt matter, and that their lives are expendable. And while she and her father eventually "did the best to patch up our relationship," he died from suicide in 2016, Stephens told the court -- and she suspects his guilt over the Nassar abuse was a factor. Once Kyles father discovered what had happened, he tragically took his own life. But I knew, when it came time to use my first tampon that my hymen wasn't intact.". First, she says: Michigan State University. KYLE Stephens was abused from the age of six by serial pedophile and the team doctor for USA Gymnastics Larry Nassar. Kyle J. Stephens, 30 of Oak Harbor, OH passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, July 3, 2019 at his home. Her parents were close friends with the doctor, and Nassar began sexually abusing her in her own home when she was a kindergartner, she said during her moving testimony. The crowded courtroom remains quiet as she walks back to her seat. He was born on March 9, 1999, in Raleigh, North Carolina, the son of Chance Stephenson and Bonnie Taylor. Stephens was the first of 152 Nassar victims to testify at Nassar's sentencing hearing in January in Ingham County Court. Snyder says this is when she starts realizing: There are girls sitting at home, watching this on TV, and realizing they are ready to come forward now, too. Raisman tweeted Monday she will not attend the sentencing because it was too traumatic, but a letter she wrote will be read in court. Jul 8, 2020. Almost 100 victims are expected to address the . In January 2018, Kyle Stephens became the first woman to take the stand against Nassar and tell her harrowing story. (Video: Kate Woodsome, Gillian Brockell, Kerri Pang, Jesse Mesner-Hage/The Washington Post), Kyle Stephens, who was sexually abused for six years by disgraced gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, talks to fellow survivors about how she's healing. Later, when her father realized that Stephens was indeed telling the truth, she said that he committed suicide. Nassar has pleaded guilty to molesting females with his hands at his Michigan State University office, his home and a Lansing-area gymnastics club, often while their parents were in the room. We are sad to announce that on October 14, 2022, at the age of 50, Jeffrey Kyle Stephens (Fort Worth, Texas) passed away. Little girls dont stay little forever, she added. While reading her impact statement in court, Stephens revealed that her father had multiple mental health issues before he committed suicide. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Kyle's statement does something else, too. Kyle Stephens greets all those attending . "Sitting on my living room couch I listened to you tell me that no one should ever do that, and if they do, you should tell someone. We all have a part in fixing this problem. Funeral Home Services for Shawn are being provided by Landess Funeral Home, Inc. - Campbell. Many said it led to depression, suicidal thoughts, anger and anxiety about whether they should have spoken up sooner. I testified to let the world know that you are a repulsive liar, Stephens said in court. About all of us. Stephens said Nassar convinced her parents she was lying about him hiding "lotion in the basement so you could beat your penis while I hid. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Olympic gold medallists Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman have said they were victims too. Kyle Stephens said she had her first sexual experience when she was 6 years old. "This process has been horrific but surprisingly therapeutic. Her entire job was to help coordinate all the victims. "After my parents confronted you, they brought you back to my house to speak with me," she tells him. And this is what it looks like when people in authority refuse to listen. He was born on October 20, 1934 in Silverton, Texas, to Claud Mack and Otha Lee Etta Cavitt Stephens. Well, Larry, I'm here not to tell someone, but to tell everyone. News cameras click click click click, and Kyle's voice shakes as she tells the full courtroom the raw, specific details of Larry's abuse. In 2018, the judge consoled the 29 women and girls who spoke, or had their statements read out in court, saying they should not blame themselves. When an Instagram message is the only place where victims can speak their truth, we are failing. Stephens said she believes the reason her father took his own life stemmed from the shame and self-loathing he felt when he refused to believe her . My deepest sympathies to the family of John Stephens. ", Rachael Denhollander gives the final victim impact statement. This is what it looks like when someone chooses to put their selfish desires above the safety and love for those around them. He committed suicide in 2016, ending both his mental anguish and debilitating chronic pain. And you. She told Nassar: Little girls don't stay little forever. In 2018, the judge consoled the 29 women and girls who spoke, or had their statements read out in court, saying they should not blame themselves. Stephens was the one victim whose abuse occurred outside of Nassar's medical practice. Stephens, who was the first of dozens of women to read an impact statement against Nassar at his sentencing hearing, said knowing Nassar was going to prison freed her of fear and guilt. Abuse also affects the lives of the people on the periphery. Larry Nassar had already been sentenced to 60 years in prison on December 7, 2017, after he pleaded guilty to federal child pornography charges. The graveside service will be at 2 p.m. EST Monday at Hillcrest Cemetery. Kyle Stephens was first abused by Larry Nassar, a family friend, at the age of 6. She and her father tried to patch things up, but he killed himself in 2016. Stephens blames her father's suicide on the shame and self-loathing he felt for defending Nassar. -- When Dr. Larry Nassar was led away in handcuffs after his sentencing hearing, Kyle Stephens, who says he repeatedly abused her as a child during family visits, said she felt . It was only when Nassar was arrested that Kyles father found out the truth. 1. Jeffrey Kyle Stephens Obituary. In January 2018, Kyle Stephens became the first woman to take the stand against Nassar and tell her harrowing story. The steps I took to the lectern in a Michigan courtroom last month were the last moments I would spend in silence, while too many victims continue to live with their unmentionable truth. . The university fired Nassar in 2016 after the Indianapolis Star reported on allegations of assault by him made by former gymnast Rachael Denhollander. Kyle glances around the courtroom. In January 2018, Kyle Stephens became the first woman to take the stand against Nassar and tell her harrowing story. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Kyle Stephens testified against Larry Nassar after he sexually abused her over six years, Kyle Stephens called her father "her rock" before he took his own life, Kyle Stephens denounced Nassar as a "repulsive liar", Kyle's parents didn't believe she was being abused when she first told them, Stephens testified against Nassar in 2018, Simone Biles and gymnasts blast FBI for Nassar cover-up at Senate hearing, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). 1:24. JULIA STEPHENS Julia Ann Harris Stephens, devoted wife, mother, grandmother and selfless servant to her church and her family, passed on into eternity on August 25, 2022. Attired in blue prison garb, Nassar sat with his head down on Tuesday and did not appear to make eye contact with the victims when they addressed him directly. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. "As president, it is only natural that I am the focus of this anger. It's easy now, with the sheer number of survivors, to forget that for so long, Rachael Denhollander's name was the only one out there. And I was like, 'OK, great.' She spoke bravely, describing the alleged sexual abuse while trying hard to hold back her tears. JOHN STEPHENS OBITUARY. Kyle Stephens' parents wanted to believe the best in Nassar. How many tossed-aside and forgotten addicts were victimized as children? And she appeals to Larry's own faith in God. And the effects are not limited to individuals who were physically violated. Kyle Stephens held back tears as she told how Nassar abused her at her family home. Inaction is no longer excusable. Obituary for Kyle Bazant. When he left this world, he was my rock.. After that first encounter, Stephens said similar incidents allegedly happened all the time. She said from her perspective, Nassars disappearing into his basement while she was down there playing didnt seem to raise any immediate red flags to others in the house, including her parents. But Stephens, the first woman to speak, held back her tears and fixed her glare on Nassar as she branded him a "repulsive liar". 1. Aquilina announces her sentence: 40 to 175 years in prison. View our online Press Pack. But while the family visited Nassar every Sunday in his family home, Nassar would take Kyle and her brother down to the basement to play hide and seek. "But I still get sick at the smell of that lotion.". As the final day of sentencing approaches, everybody knows: The woman who started this case would be the one to finish it. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on August 6, 1942 to Calvin Heber and Edna Elizabeth (Cromar) Stephens. . But instead of believing her, Kyles parents demanded their daughter apologise to her abuser. By the time he died, Stephens said her father had made it right. Abusers dont see race, religion or political affiliation. Two of the seven --- Drs. "At home, I was a liar. The Basement. Once Kyle had been separated from her brother, Nassar would masturbate in front of her. Interment will follow in Green Pine Cemetery. My dad had spent time in his life defending abused children. Additional reporting and writing by Keith Coffman in Denver; Editing by Leslie Adler. Clyde was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Delores Woodruff Stephens who died in 2013, and by his infant son Randall Clyde . Kyle was born on December 30th, 1969, in . It was only in 2016 when Kyle read the story of another woman who had been abused by Nassar, that she called the police. More than 150 women and girls have accused Nassar of assault, including gymnasts Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney and Gabby Douglas. You convinced my parents that I was a liar, Stephens said. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. She said she wants young athletes "to be safe from sexual predators, from this kind of abuse. Raisman tweeted Monday that she would not attend the sentencing "because it is too traumatic for me". "Perhaps you have figured it out by now, but little girls don't stay little forever. And overnight, Kyle's words "little girls don't stay little forever" are everywhere: on protest signs at women's marches; making headlines in national news. May 27, 1958 January 31, 2021. It's another to actually see 15-year-olds sitting with their moms. While my family watched football and cooked dinner, I was sacrificed to a public-health pandemic that remains shrouded in silence. "But I still get sick at the smell of that lotion.". Every time we got into a fight, he would tell me, You need to apologize to Larry I started to question whether the abuse ever happened. On Tuesday, while testifying, Stephens said, You convinced my parents that I was a liar.. They said it had changed their life trajectories, affected relationships and made them distrustful of other people. His association with the Nassar case involved his private practice as a clinical psychologist. Bekah Snyder works for the prosecutor's office. At the Nassars, it was like the accusation had never happened.". Copyright Currentobituary.com, Your source for online obituaries and funeral notices, https://www.currentobituary.com/advancedsearch. KYLE Stephens was abused from the age of six by serial pedophile and the team doctor for USA Gymnastics Larry Nassar. 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