Chose forgiveness

Aug. 12 marks the 12th anniversary of a heinous crime that took place in your beautiful town of Bigfork and forever left me and my family with pain and sorrow.

On that day, my son, John Bosco, and his lovely wife Nancy, were shot to death in the middle of the night by Joseph Shadow Clark, the son of the couple from whom my children had just purchased their house. The motive for the killing to this day remains something of a mystery to us.

Because my other four living children and I have never believed in revenge or the death penalty, and have always chosen forgiveness to be a value to live by, we have prayed these past 12 years for that young killer.

I thought the people of Bigfork might want to know that recently he wrote to us, expressing his sorrow for the pain he caused us, asking our forgiveness. While we believe he must remain in prison for his life sentence, because society has the right to be protected in case he would kill again, our family is grateful for his letter. We responded telling him that we had long ago chosen forgiveness over vengeance.

In fact, I had written a book called "Choosing Mercy, A Mother of Murder Victims Pleads to End the Death Penalty." At Joseph Clark's request, I had my publisher send him a copy so he can be assured that we seek no harm for him.

I sincerely ask the residents of Bigfork to say a prayer this month for my son and his wife, whose young lives were taken away so brutally in this beautiful town where they had hoped to spend their lives.

Many thanks,

Antoinette Bosco

Brookfield, Conn.