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Have You Seen These Children?: A Memoir
by Veronica Slaughter 
Category: Sibling Relationships, School-Age Children Parenting, Ebooks
Praise “Slaughter writes with passion, gracefully offering the delicate details of her parents’ courtship and the erosion of her own relationship with her father as well as relating the fear and confusion that she and her siblings felt. Her narrative dexterity will hook readers immediately…..A poignant account of traumatic childhood memories, resilience, and survival.” --KIRKUS REVIEWS |
ABOUT THE BOOK
Four young children caught between love and hate—hostages to the cruelty of revenge. A deceitful American father and a naïve decision by a Filipino mother transformed their lives forever.
Valorie, Veronica, Vance, and Vincent’s perfect world turned into a nightmare one hot afternoon in 1959 in Cebu, Philippines. What was to be a quick lunch with their father turned into a flight to America, where four dreadfully long years of running from state to state, hiding, and vanishing into the night followed. Kidnapped from the only world they knew, confusion quickly set in. At nine, Valorie, the eldest, liked seeing their father after his absence for over a year. Vance, a timid six-year-old, went along with whatever Valorie did. Vincent, the baby at three, cried for his mother while clinging to Veronica for comfort. Veronica, eight, was the only one who was truly panicked by what was happening around them—and she recognized instantly that she and her siblings would have to stick together in order to survive. In that moment, her childhood ended and the warrior within her emerged.
Moving from state to state and school to school, avoiding the law, looking over their shoulders at every turn, the four Slaughter children found themselves fighting not only the heartbreak of separation from their loving mother but also poverty, discrimination, and abuse. Their only weapons were their deep love for one another and an unwavering determination to survive the trials they faced—and find their way back to their mother.
Four young children caught between love and hate—hostages to the cruelty of revenge. A deceitful American father and a naïve decision by a Filipino mother transformed their lives forever.
Valorie, Veronica, Vance, and Vincent’s perfect world turned into a nightmare one hot afternoon in 1959 in Cebu, Philippines. What was to be a quick lunch with their father turned into a flight to America, where four dreadfully long years of running from state to state, hiding, and vanishing into the night followed. Kidnapped from the only world they knew, confusion quickly set in. At nine, Valorie, the eldest, liked seeing their father after his absence for over a year. Vance, a timid six-year-old, went along with whatever Valorie did. Vincent, the baby at three, cried for his mother while clinging to Veronica for comfort. Veronica, eight, was the only one who was truly panicked by what was happening around them—and she recognized instantly that she and her siblings would have to stick together in order to survive. In that moment, her childhood ended and the warrior within her emerged.
Moving from state to state and school to school, avoiding the law, looking over their shoulders at every turn, the four Slaughter children found themselves fighting not only the heartbreak of separation from their loving mother but also poverty, discrimination, and abuse. Their only weapons were their deep love for one another and an unwavering determination to survive the trials they faced—and find their way back to their mother.
Veronica Slaughter
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Veronica Slaughter was born in the Philippines to an American father and a Filipino mother in 1951. At eight, she, along with her siblings, were kidnapped by their father and brought to the United States. In spite of her turbulent childhood, she was able to achieve the American Dream through her resilience and determination. In 2017, she retired from her 35-year chiropractic practice in California and moved to the beautiful island of Maui, where she continues to live with her many animals. She has one son; he lives in Northern California, and is the love of her life.
My Message
Because Life isn’t fair, it’s important to remember that how you deal with what’s thrown at you determines your happiness in the end. With every seemingly impossible situation you find yourself in, lean into the wind, fight for the life you want and deserve. Don’t let your past dictate your future. Never give up. Love, kindness, and forgiveness can be your weapons. I continue to battle my demons, heartbreak, and fears by making as many happy moments as possible, so when pain raises its ugly head, I have those beautiful moments to protect me.
I’m my mother’s daughter, a warrior from a warrior, and I know in the end, Love conquers all.
Website:
https://veronicaslaughter.com/
Dr. Veronica Slaughter was born in the Philippines to an American father and a Filipino mother in 1951. At eight, she, along with her siblings, were kidnapped by their father and brought to the United States. In spite of her turbulent childhood, she was able to achieve the American Dream through her resilience and determination. In 2017, she retired from her 35-year chiropractic practice in California and moved to the beautiful island of Maui, where she continues to live with her many animals. She has one son; he lives in Northern California, and is the love of her life.
My Message
Because Life isn’t fair, it’s important to remember that how you deal with what’s thrown at you determines your happiness in the end. With every seemingly impossible situation you find yourself in, lean into the wind, fight for the life you want and deserve. Don’t let your past dictate your future. Never give up. Love, kindness, and forgiveness can be your weapons. I continue to battle my demons, heartbreak, and fears by making as many happy moments as possible, so when pain raises its ugly head, I have those beautiful moments to protect me.
I’m my mother’s daughter, a warrior from a warrior, and I know in the end, Love conquers all.
Website:
https://veronicaslaughter.com/