Another Sad Chapter for the Stuemer Family

[Knottygirlz]

The Stuemer Family was from the Ottawa area. Diane, the mother, had a brush with cancer and that was the ephany for the family. They sold their businesses and everything else and bought a boat and sailed around the world. Diane wrote of the family adventures and they published them in the Ottawa Citizen. It was like the entire part of the province took the adventure with them.

When they finally returned home, things did not go so well. There eldest son, Jonathan, was having alot of difficulty settling back into land life. Diane's cancer returned in 2003 and this time it beat her.

Jonathan was just arrested last night for attacking his father while he slept.

http://www.cbc.ca/ottawa/story/ot-stuemer20060619.html

Not many details have been released, but I hope this latest incident gets him the help he needs to cope.

Lori, Rick and Shadow

Very sad. AND, very out of the ordinary. I have never know any kids raised on a boat to be worse off for the experience, but then again, who knows what else has gone on in his life. I agree with you Lori, I would hope this gets him the help he needs.

[ssullivan]

Agreed. Most kids and adults I've met that were raised liveaboard are better adjusted than many on land - without a lot of bad influences. Although, they tend to call the front of a car the "bow."

Probably losing his mom is what did it.

[Alan Wheeler]

There will be more to the story than we get to see. I have been working full time with Kids just like him for two years now. It's hard work. Some days you just want to cry for them, some days you want to cry with them, some days you want to bang your head against the wall, some days you want to bang their heads against the wall and if your lucky, on the occasional day, you get to see a difference. It maybe small, but it is like Gold. Preciouse.

[Knottygirlz]

I don't believe that Jonathon's problems we a direct result of his family's adventures either. If it had any impact on what has happened since, it was that he missed the freedom and adventure. The death of his mother less than 2 years after they returned had to have had a major impact.

He has been charged with attempted murder and has been sent for psychiatric evaluation.

One note, though, Jonaton was the middle child, not the eldest. He was 9 when they sailed away and 13 when they returned.

If anyone is interested, have a look at the site that was created to follow their adventures. www.northernmagic.com

On one last note, It was Hurbert's dream to sail around the world, from before he met Diane and they had the children. She tolerated the water, hated fish and most things boaty, so he buried the dream. Then, after 20 years of family life in the rat race, Herbert was injured in an accident at work and Diane was diagnosed with cancer. At that time they sat down and evaluated things and decided it was now or never. Diane, once opposed to the idea then fully embraced it and infact, meticulously documented it on the site.

Lori, Rick and Shadow

[rtbates]

Maybe it was being front page news that made him 'go off'.

Not everyone likes being the center of others attention, especially when the attention is part of 'bad news'.

I wish the family the best. Often the best we can do is leave them alone.

randy