Probably a combination of all. I haven’t seen him since my son turned 18, he will be 44 this year so I can’t surmise how he has lived his life or what has happened. His entire family was out of Scientology by the time his mom died in 1998, so it can’t be blamed on Scientology.

My guess, and this is purely speculation, is a combination of hard living and karma.

Yes! I’d love that. Sent you my number!

Val, why is your ex in such bad physical shape? Is it from drinking too much? Or a stroke that did damage or something? Or do you think it is his karma?

Amy, I just read this. I’ve asked Mike to put you in contact with me if you want to talk to me. I knew who your abuser was when the Aftermath show aired, that was when the penny dropped for me, until then I had no clue. What a horrific tie the two of us have, so glad we’ve both moved on,

Wow Aimee I had no idea of the connection!!!

I’ve also read every everything posted by Val on the Underground Bunker with great interest. It answered so many questions for me.

Val was nursing a newborn when I first met her in Bellevue. I remember the big house they lived in. We took a long drive together once with Val and her husband Mark in the front seat and I was in the back with her brother-in-law Darryl (who was covertly trying to feel me up under a blanket). My brother was there as well, so I would have been 14 years old at the time. I had photos of us on this trip, taking a ferry boat ride with the Seattle Space Needle in the background.

Val was always so kind and smiling whenever I saw her. To read the backstory was heartbreaking.

Those Meriwether brothers were a real piece of work! Darryl once told me that he had taken so much heroin for so long that his arms could not straighten out, so he carried around two 5-gallon paint buckets to force them straight.

Darryl became my abuser (sexually) while Mark was Val’s (physically). If that wasn’t bad enough, we were both in an abusive cult for decades.

I’m so glad we both have since found freedom and happiness!

It would appear Scientology did him no favours. Not surprising.

He’s alive. I haven’t seen him since 1998. My son sees him occasionally. He’s homebound, had a dozen stents, three strokes and is on oxygen 24/7, can’t walk across the room. I am not responsible for any of his health conditions so am perfectly happy with not caring if he stays alive or not, but do not feel bad that he is miserable while he is alive. I would not tell my son that. The man is still his father.