Elena

Now, looking back on her childhood, Donna reflected on her childhood saying, there was nothing really good I can recall. Yeah, I mean, when you're stepping over your dad in his own vomit to leave your home. She said he always drank, continually drank. I really started noticing it at about seven because he would yell at us if he was drinking at home. That's so sad. Seven years old.

Now, looking back on her childhood, Donna reflected on her childhood saying, there was nothing really good I can recall. Yeah, I mean, when you're stepping over your dad in his own vomit to leave your home. She said he always drank, continually drank. I really started noticing it at about seven because he would yell at us if he was drinking at home. That's so sad. Seven years old.

To realize that at seven years old is fucked. Yeah. For a time, the girls could rely on school to get away from this whole abuse, but even that was unreliable because Grady would routinely pull them out of school three or four months before the end of the year to help the traveling show. It's like, how are they even moving on at school?

To realize that at seven years old is fucked. Yeah. For a time, the girls could rely on school to get away from this whole abuse, but even that was unreliable because Grady would routinely pull them out of school three or four months before the end of the year to help the traveling show. It's like, how are they even moving on at school?

In 1969, Teresa gave birth again, this time to a daughter they named Catherine, who was born with the condition.

In 1969, Teresa gave birth again, this time to a daughter they named Catherine, who was born with the condition.

Okay. Donna said that night after closing, he called mom out in the show. They were arguing. She came back into the trailer crying. And then he came back in the trailer, pulled the door open, let it slam real hard. And he took $20 and he threw it at her. After throwing the money at her, he screamed, take your fucking kids and get out of my face.

Okay. Donna said that night after closing, he called mom out in the show. They were arguing. She came back into the trailer crying. And then he came back in the trailer, pulled the door open, let it slam real hard. And he took $20 and he threw it at her. After throwing the money at her, he screamed, take your fucking kids and get out of my face.

Her kids. Okay. Yeah. Literally fuck this guy. Yeah, fuck him. Like he's awful. Because he does this, and then what he does later, I'm like, go fuck yourself. And in front of his kids. Oh, he does awful shit. To the girl's surprise, and this is where you really see moments of Teresa just making, like, very smart choices for her kids, and then obviously, you know, she's a very abused woman. Yeah.

Her kids. Okay. Yeah. Literally fuck this guy. Yeah, fuck him. Like he's awful. Because he does this, and then what he does later, I'm like, go fuck yourself. And in front of his kids. Oh, he does awful shit. To the girl's surprise, and this is where you really see moments of Teresa just making, like, very smart choices for her kids, and then obviously, you know, she's a very abused woman. Yeah.

Very abused, very traumatized, so she obviously makes some questionable ones later. Right. But this is one... That really shocked the girls as well because he's a scary guy. So they were surprised because their mother did not say like, oh, he's just, you know, drunkenly ranting, like just leave him alone, which often would happen. Instead, she just looked at them and she said, pack a bag.

Very abused, very traumatized, so she obviously makes some questionable ones later. Right. But this is one... That really shocked the girls as well because he's a scary guy. So they were surprised because their mother did not say like, oh, he's just, you know, drunkenly ranting, like just leave him alone, which often would happen. Instead, she just looked at them and she said, pack a bag.

And we're leaving. Wow. And she packed her own suitcase and they all left and they got a room at a motel across the street. Once they were there, she called her friend, Harry Glenn Newman, who was part of the circus as well. He was known, and this is what he was known by back then, he was known as Midget Man. Oh, man. Due to his small stature. Gotcha. Things were different then.

And we're leaving. Wow. And she packed her own suitcase and they all left and they got a room at a motel across the street. Once they were there, she called her friend, Harry Glenn Newman, who was part of the circus as well. He was known, and this is what he was known by back then, he was known as Midget Man. Oh, man. Due to his small stature. Gotcha. Things were different then.

Things were real different. Things were bad then. Yeah. After leaving Grady that night, Glenn became a lifesaver. For Teresa. Aw. He allowed them all, the girls and her, to live in a small camper on his property until they all moved to Ohio to live with Glenn's mother. Wow. For several months, the children finally got to enjoy stability and normalcy of children their age. Like, things were happy.

Things were real different. Things were bad then. Yeah. After leaving Grady that night, Glenn became a lifesaver. For Teresa. Aw. He allowed them all, the girls and her, to live in a small camper on his property until they all moved to Ohio to live with Glenn's mother. Wow. For several months, the children finally got to enjoy stability and normalcy of children their age. Like, things were happy.

Yeah. Without the chaos of this traveling show or, you know, a rageful, abusive, like, alcoholic father. Unfortunately, that was short-lived. Yeah. Because about four months, five months after leaving Grady, Teresa received a summons and traveled to a Pennsylvania courthouse with the girls.

Yeah. Without the chaos of this traveling show or, you know, a rageful, abusive, like, alcoholic father. Unfortunately, that was short-lived. Yeah. Because about four months, five months after leaving Grady, Teresa received a summons and traveled to a Pennsylvania courthouse with the girls.

Unbeknownst to her, after she left Grady, he filed for divorce and petitioned the court for custody of the children. Even though he literally told her to leave with her children.

Unbeknownst to her, after she left Grady, he filed for divorce and petitioned the court for custody of the children. Even though he literally told her to leave with her children.