Kyle Tequila

In those days, he was my hero. And I don't just mean that figuratively. Only a few months after this home video was made, he literally saved my life. Thanks for joining me on Crook County. For ad-free listening and exclusive content, dive into tenderfootplus.com, right there in the show notes. Tenderfoot Plus is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and other podcast players.

In those days, he was my hero. And I don't just mean that figuratively. Only a few months after this home video was made, he literally saved my life. Thanks for joining me on Crook County. For ad-free listening and exclusive content, dive into tenderfootplus.com, right there in the show notes. Tenderfoot Plus is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and other podcast players.

You'll unlock access to early episodes, upcoming bonus material, the Tenderfoot Podcast Library of over 400 ad-free episodes, as well as subscriber-only specials. Subscribe now at tenderfootplus.com.

You'll unlock access to early episodes, upcoming bonus material, the Tenderfoot Podcast Library of over 400 ad-free episodes, as well as subscriber-only specials. Subscribe now at tenderfootplus.com.

After several months of intensive recovery, the scare had passed and I was becoming my old self again. So, we packed up our belongings and moved to the house I would forever consider my childhood home. In a small, newly constructed suburb west of Chicago. The very definition of cookie cutter. My mom puts in another tape. It's from the day we moved in.

After several months of intensive recovery, the scare had passed and I was becoming my old self again. So, we packed up our belongings and moved to the house I would forever consider my childhood home. In a small, newly constructed suburb west of Chicago. The very definition of cookie cutter. My mom puts in another tape. It's from the day we moved in.

My dad is behind the camera again, while a few of his buddies from the fire department are carrying in furniture and goofing off.

My dad is behind the camera again, while a few of his buddies from the fire department are carrying in furniture and goofing off.

Our house, a little blue island in a sea of brown sludge.

Our house, a little blue island in a sea of brown sludge.

That's my brother, Cory.

That's my brother, Cory.

She pops in another tape. It's my fifth birthday party. There's about 20 people at some restaurant. I remember this. The kids got to make our own pizzas. It's impossible to describe how I feel watching this video and knowing now all of the atrocious crimes my father committed in the years leading up to it. And worse, that they were still being committed. Beatings, murders, cover-ups.

She pops in another tape. It's my fifth birthday party. There's about 20 people at some restaurant. I remember this. The kids got to make our own pizzas. It's impossible to describe how I feel watching this video and knowing now all of the atrocious crimes my father committed in the years leading up to it. And worse, that they were still being committed. Beatings, murders, cover-ups.

And then, coming home to his happy little family and lying about everything. And all of us, completely oblivious, celebrating a joyful birthday with the clear heads and hearts of a simple, average American family, when in fact, we were anything but.

And then, coming home to his happy little family and lying about everything. And all of us, completely oblivious, celebrating a joyful birthday with the clear heads and hearts of a simple, average American family, when in fact, we were anything but.

And my poor mother, going to bed every night next to a man she doesn't even know, a man who has blood on his hands, the same hands that would comb through my hair the next morning before going off to work to possibly have them bloodied again. We never suspected a thing. We had no reason to. But now, looking back, knowing what I know, there were in fact signs of a darker side. Cracks in his veneer.

And my poor mother, going to bed every night next to a man she doesn't even know, a man who has blood on his hands, the same hands that would comb through my hair the next morning before going off to work to possibly have them bloodied again. We never suspected a thing. We had no reason to. But now, looking back, knowing what I know, there were in fact signs of a darker side. Cracks in his veneer.

And then he just drove away.

And then he just drove away.