From First Kiss to Final Judgment

Content note: this story deals with suicide and abuse. If you're struggling, call or text 988 (US) any time.

Background

Doug vaguely knows Rod. He has seen him around town. Mostly he has seen him with his daughter. He was always with his daughter. Having no children of his own, Doug was quietly jealous of the sight of these two. Mainly because they always looked like members of the mutual admiration society. It was something he sought through his reporting: a connection with others through a passion of his. These two seemed to always be in their own happy little world. Oblivious to all around them.

One day, Doug introduced himself to Rod on a whim. He had to know what it was like to "feel" what he was seeing between those two. Doug premised the intro by requesting Rod let him interview him and his daughter for the weekly feature he ran about local people of interest. Rod declined the request, citing not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to his daughter and him. Being a reporter, Doug naturally pushed for further clarification.

Seeing Rod's uneasiness, Doug backed off and simply stated, "I was just interested in bringing to light what it is you two share between each other, and offering it to the world."

Rod nervously chuckled, "Well, I, I, I, well, I just know I have been blessed with such a great daughter. From the moment I saw her, my love was everlasting. It has been my solemn promise to her since before she could understand what words were, that I would do everything in my power to ensure she was always loved and well taken care of. I have told her many times, 'I want others to see us and immediately know what love is.' She will be ecstatic when I tell her we have succeeded in our mission. Thank you for your kind observation, Mr…"

"Granson," I reminded. We shook hands and Rod walked off smiling as if he had just found the key to World Peace. That was exactly what I was seeing… love. It was on full display for all the world to see.

That's why I must know what it is that created something so bad in this person's life to make them want to exit it. Everybody else is just writing it off as a simple suicide. In seeing and speaking to this man, though, I know this suicide was anything but simple.

It boggles my mind I was the only person who showed up for this person's funeral. And I barely knew him. That's not the man I saw. I'm sure that's not the man his daughter KNEW. Right now I have more questions than answers. Time to do what I do. Get those answers!

Initial discoveries

"Yeah, man, go 'head. You find anything contrary to what we did, let me know. Got me?" Officer Kendrick granted me access to Rod's home. "Don't know what you're looking for exactly? Open and shut case."

Everything looked normal as normal could be inside the home. There were three bedrooms. One being the father's. One being the daughter's. One made into an office. I was drawn to the office.

In the office were mountains of books. Every self-help book you could think of adorned the multiple bookcases. "Big fan of Tony Robbins, I see. Multiple copies of 'Think and Grow Rich.'" The four walls displayed motivational sayings and posters along with a huge dry erase board, used often, wiped clean.

I sat down in the faux leather desk chair behind an old government-issue desk, one of those heavy steel monsters with the laminate top, and began soaking in the atmosphere of the room. This man was the practical type. Particular, almost OCD'ish. Everything in its place, the bookcase alphabetical, while stacks of papers were strewn to and fro on the desktop. Rod's desk reminded me of a picture I once saw of Einstein's desk as he left it the day he passed away. An eerie comparison to make, but the resemblance is uncanny.

The paper trail

The papers are a glimpse into this guy's mind. Handwritten notes, typed notes, printouts from various sources. Spreadsheets. Financial projections for business ideas. This guy wasn't "suffering" from information overload. He was corralling it. He was definitely an information-gatherer.

Buried beneath the flurry of strewn ideas were two enticing manila folders. It was the moment I was waiting for. That Eureka moment! In my experience, when the entirety of something resembles chaos and there is a glimpse of order within that chaos, it's the order which offers a "golden nugget." These two manila folders represent this case's golden nugget.

Think truth regardless of appearances

Rod's statement to "think truth regardless of appearances" was to be the running theme for his book. It comes from Wallace D. Wattles, The Science of Getting Rich (1910):

To think according to appearance is easy; to think truth regardless of appearances is laborious, and requires the expenditure of more power than any other work man is called upon to perform. … This is especially true when truth is contrary to appearances.

From Rod's journals: "I can testify to the above being true. Thinking truth regardless of appearance was a running theme throughout my ordeal. It was that truth which kept being peeled away until the true core was in plain sight. The Hidden Agendas, finally exposed, shined a light on the fact that the 'powers-that-be' wanted people to focus away from the truth. Mostly, people found ease of mind in doing so. I could not. Thus, the ensuing battles. But, in the end, thinking truth regardless of appearances is what enabled me to 'win.'"

See what I mean by "wow?" This dude was deep! He didn't just think TRUTH, he lived TRUTH. How long did it take him, I wonder? According to Rod, it took him 10 years. Ten years of "fighting?" Who exactly was he fighting, and for what? Definitely more to this case than Kendrick's "open and shut."

It is as if my desire to know what he and his daughter shared while he was alive somehow manifested itself after his demise. Like his last breath became this story's first. May his story breathe life into the world. I feel it is my job to ensure that happens.

— Doug Granson

Who was Rod Aponys?

Rod Aponys was an exceptional human being whose works were found and are being published posthumously. Our discovery revealed many notes, journals and book outlines we are compiling to bring his views to life. The first book series focuses on the trials of a 10-year custody battle. In his own words:

Three catalysts behind my dogged determination to win my case qualify me to write this book: 1) I never knew my biological father; 2) I grew up in a highly dysfunctional family; and most importantly 3) I love my daughter with all my heart and did everything to avoid #1 happening to her while minimizing #2's impact. Sharing my perseverance skills to aid others while exposing the urgent need to reform the Family Law System is the central theme of The Mirror's Puppet.

As a targeted parent, Rod was able to experience a rarity in his custody case: HE WON! He goes beyond dropping bread crumbs to aid others in finding their way. He shows ALL, from First Kiss to Final Judgment, detailing everything about the case along the way.

Channel your inner Rocky

From Rod's journals: "In pure Rocky-esque fashion I was getting pummeled. Round after round after round. Bloodied and battered after 14, on my last legs, I wobbled out for the last round still looking for victory. I went out there for the 15th and came out of it victorious. As Rocky yelled, 'Adrian!' I yelled my daughter's name. I had finally overcome the monumental challenge before me. Overcome it for HER!"

"Endurance is the key. It's not finding the right law to apply which will win your case. It's applying the right strategy, at the right time. Each case has 'something' which will turn the tides in your favor. That's what you must look for. Think like Rocky. BE ROCKY! Tenacity and perseverance are the keys. Remember: none of his movies ended with him on the canvas."