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From Victim to Hero: The Untold Story of Steven Stayner
From Victim to Hero compellingly shares the selfless heroic nightmare of Steven Stayner, educating parents on issues they must know and be aware of. Steven's story inspires and exemplifies the goodness and strength within the human spirit. The trauma experienced by the family is shared, giving insight of the impact on the marriage, children, and friends. Whether in abuse or abduction, From Victim to Hero portrays the grooming, lying, and strategies used by predators to convince and coerce their victims into compliance. This book reiterates the three principles victims must realize - 1. Nobody has the right to hurt you. 2. It's not your fault. 3. You don't have the right to hurt others. Ed Smart (father of kidnap victim Elizabeth Smart) President - Surviving Parents Coalition In this book, From Victim to Hero, Jim Laughter expresses Steven's heart and brings to light the extraordinary spirit of a young man that endangered himself because he believed rescuing Timmy White was the right thing to do. Diane L Brown, Founder/Director (retired) Safety Kids, Inc.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 10, 2010
100 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
About the author
Jim Laughter
18 books13 followersCreator of Galactic Axia, a commonwealth of planets and basis for sci/fi adventures spanning the galaxy. Books include best sellers Escape to Destiny, The Horicon Experience, Space Trader, First Contact, and The Wounded Warrior.
Jim is also author several stand-alone books including thrillers, true crime, climate fiction, and children's books.
Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant. Father of three wonderful sons, and grandfather of four marvelous grandchildren.
"
Jim is also author several stand-alone books including thrillers, true crime, climate fiction, and children's books.
Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant. Father of three wonderful sons, and grandfather of four marvelous grandchildren.
"
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 17, 2012
I got this book yesterday in the mail from author Jim Laughter, and read the whole book. I finished it about 6:30am. I just couldn't put it down. It was well written about my cousin, the hero that we all thought he was. May he rest in Peace and may his work never end to helping our children in keeping safe! I hated the first book written about him, and this one, really tells much of who he was.....a warm, loving person, with a good sense of humor in spite of what he went through. I'm grateful to Sharon Carr Griffin who shared much of Steven to Jim to write this book.
September 21, 2012
I have always been interested in the story of Steven Stayner, ever since I watched the mini-series when I was a child. Growing up in the 1980's, I was one of the children who learned Steven's "stranger danger" message and the tips about never getting in cars with strangers or accepting rides from anyone. Besides watching the mini-series when I got older, I also read the book I Know My First Name Is Steven, which the mini-series was based on. Although I don't think the mini-series portrayed this one part, I never liked that the book mentioned that Steven rescued Timmy White because he was jealous of Timmy and wanted him gone. It seemed like such a mean way to cheapen what Steven had done for Timmy! Steven was fourteen years old at the time, and had been raised to be dependent on his captor for his own safety, so it would have been natural for Steven to feel a little threatened by a new child. However, I never believed that this was the real reason why Steven rescued Timmy. In order to save Timmy, Steven had to put himself at risk in so many ways, and I never thought he would have gone through all that because of jealousy. The book and mini-series also depicted Steven as being very troubled as he got older, turning to drugs and alcohol to cope with his pain, and even hinted that his motorcycle accident may have been a suicide.
That said, this newest book about Steven Stayner was written with help from his lifelong best friend, Sharon Carr. I was pleasantly surprised at how different Jim Laughter's story was from the original book. It is funny how the same story, told by two different people, can differ! In addition to not focusing as much on the sexual abuse Steven lived through at the hands of his kidnapper, this new book shows Steven Stayner in a much more personable way. It shows the closeness that grew between him and psuedo brother Timmy White, the relationship he had with his family and friends upon returning home at age fourteen, and the important work he did as an adult to educate children about stranger safety. I think this is a book Steven would be proud of.
That said, this newest book about Steven Stayner was written with help from his lifelong best friend, Sharon Carr. I was pleasantly surprised at how different Jim Laughter's story was from the original book. It is funny how the same story, told by two different people, can differ! In addition to not focusing as much on the sexual abuse Steven lived through at the hands of his kidnapper, this new book shows Steven Stayner in a much more personable way. It shows the closeness that grew between him and psuedo brother Timmy White, the relationship he had with his family and friends upon returning home at age fourteen, and the important work he did as an adult to educate children about stranger safety. I think this is a book Steven would be proud of.
July 18, 2015
Years ago, I caught the story of Steven Stayner on video. His story is truly remarkable and highlights the plight of missing and abducted children so acutely that it is almost hard to read. Tragically he was claimed in a motorcycle accident only nine years after having been returned to his family and then his brother, Cary Stayner, becoming a notorious serial killer. The family has attributed some of what happened to Cary as a fall out from Steven’s abduction and the families focus on him being missing.
In 1972, Steven Stayner was seven years old and walking the two blocks home from school. A convicted pedophile enticed him into his car with the ruse of being a minister and the promise of a ride home to get a contribution from his parents. He was abducted and told his parents had given him up because they were too poor to take care of him and this man, Kenneth Parnell, had adopted him.
For the next seven years, after being renamed Dennis by Parnell and disguised by having his hair dyed and cut, Steven was moved from town to town and was physically and sexually abused by Parnell. When Steven was fourteen and had become bigger and more difficult to control by Parnell, another child, a five year old named Timmy White, was abducted.
Steven, in an effort to save Timmy from what had happened to him, spirited Timmy from the remote cabin where they were being kept and hitchhiked almost 40 miles in a thunderstorm to the nearest police station. While being questioned, he revealed he was Steven Stayner and had been abducted by the same man seven years prior. Unknown to Steven, Parnell had dug a grave that day and had prepared to murder Steven that night because he was no longer under Parnell’s control and was now old enough to tell what had happened to him. He then planned to move Timmy White across the country and continue the abuse.
Steven was given the $15,000 reward for the rescue of Timmy White at Timmy’s request. He had a very difficult readjustment to his biological family due to the permissive lifestyle he had been living away from them and the hostility from his brother at the attention he got from the media and his parents.
Steven ended up moving away to a neighboring town, married and had children and then was tragically killed in a hit and run motorcycle accident by an illegal immigrant. During the court proceedings for the prosecution of Parnell, he (Parnell) received a mere 8 years for the abduction of Timmy White and 20 months for the sexual and physical abuse of Steven because the law in California at the time had a three year statute that was determined to have run while Steven was in captivity. In all, Parnell only served five years for the abduction and abuse of two children.
Although the story is somewhat tragic, Steven worked tirelessly with California schools to promote awareness of “stranger danger”, speaking frankly to many grade school children about his experiences and probably saving hundreds of lives. A fascinating look at a tragic subject.
In 1972, Steven Stayner was seven years old and walking the two blocks home from school. A convicted pedophile enticed him into his car with the ruse of being a minister and the promise of a ride home to get a contribution from his parents. He was abducted and told his parents had given him up because they were too poor to take care of him and this man, Kenneth Parnell, had adopted him.
For the next seven years, after being renamed Dennis by Parnell and disguised by having his hair dyed and cut, Steven was moved from town to town and was physically and sexually abused by Parnell. When Steven was fourteen and had become bigger and more difficult to control by Parnell, another child, a five year old named Timmy White, was abducted.
Steven, in an effort to save Timmy from what had happened to him, spirited Timmy from the remote cabin where they were being kept and hitchhiked almost 40 miles in a thunderstorm to the nearest police station. While being questioned, he revealed he was Steven Stayner and had been abducted by the same man seven years prior. Unknown to Steven, Parnell had dug a grave that day and had prepared to murder Steven that night because he was no longer under Parnell’s control and was now old enough to tell what had happened to him. He then planned to move Timmy White across the country and continue the abuse.
Steven was given the $15,000 reward for the rescue of Timmy White at Timmy’s request. He had a very difficult readjustment to his biological family due to the permissive lifestyle he had been living away from them and the hostility from his brother at the attention he got from the media and his parents.
Steven ended up moving away to a neighboring town, married and had children and then was tragically killed in a hit and run motorcycle accident by an illegal immigrant. During the court proceedings for the prosecution of Parnell, he (Parnell) received a mere 8 years for the abduction of Timmy White and 20 months for the sexual and physical abuse of Steven because the law in California at the time had a three year statute that was determined to have run while Steven was in captivity. In all, Parnell only served five years for the abduction and abuse of two children.
Although the story is somewhat tragic, Steven worked tirelessly with California schools to promote awareness of “stranger danger”, speaking frankly to many grade school children about his experiences and probably saving hundreds of lives. A fascinating look at a tragic subject.
March 30, 2012
Subtitled The Untold Story of Steven Stayner. It is about a boy kidnapped at 7 in 1972 and who saved another boy 7 years later kidnapped by the same guy and finally returned home. I've seen a film on the case called "I Know My Name Is Stephen", I think. The book was very interesting and was co-written by Steven's best friend from school-Sharon. It was so sad that he finally escaped from this guy at 14 and sadly died only a decade later in a motorcycle accident.
Sadly the book WAS spoilt somewhat with horrific spelling and apostrophe errors which marred it for me hence the 3 stars instead of more.
The little boy he saved, Timmy White, was only 5 and he died young too at 34 from a pulmonary embolism so the whole story is incredibly tragic.
There was a lovely statue commissioned in his local area too of him walking little Timmy to safety.
Sadly the book WAS spoilt somewhat with horrific spelling and apostrophe errors which marred it for me hence the 3 stars instead of more.
The little boy he saved, Timmy White, was only 5 and he died young too at 34 from a pulmonary embolism so the whole story is incredibly tragic.
There was a lovely statue commissioned in his local area too of him walking little Timmy to safety.
July 21, 2012
The story is worthwhile, but this version is poorly written, full of typos, and Laughter admits that he changed some of the details, so you never know what is real and what isn't. I'm glad I slogged through it to finally learn most of what actually happened in this case, but ick, the effort was intense. I'm learning not to bother with a lot of the free books offered up by Kindle and the other e-readers. They are often duds like this.
May 13, 2014
Fascinating account of child kidnapping that i remember from years ago.....
May 21, 2022
A Very Tidy Story: Reads like a simplified biography for school children
A basic timeline of Steven Stayner’s life from the time of his abduction when he was seven years old until his untimely death at twenty-four years old.
The most reliable witness to these events, including his coming home at fourteen years old and his rescue of Timmy White, is the Stayner’s neighbor an close friend, Judy Carr.
I’m not sure where Laughter came up with the details of what people involved in the story said or did except to piece it together from possible interviews and media coverage. But where did he get Steven’s final thoughts from as he lay dying in the ambulance on the way to the hospital? And there were only the smallest mentions of Steven’s wife Jody, who surly would have leant more depth to Laughter’s two dimensional portrait of Stayner.
A basic timeline of Steven Stayner’s life from the time of his abduction when he was seven years old until his untimely death at twenty-four years old.
The most reliable witness to these events, including his coming home at fourteen years old and his rescue of Timmy White, is the Stayner’s neighbor an close friend, Judy Carr.
I’m not sure where Laughter came up with the details of what people involved in the story said or did except to piece it together from possible interviews and media coverage. But where did he get Steven’s final thoughts from as he lay dying in the ambulance on the way to the hospital? And there were only the smallest mentions of Steven’s wife Jody, who surly would have leant more depth to Laughter’s two dimensional portrait of Stayner.
July 12, 2023
I'm how to title this
This was the first abduction case I ever really knew about. I was home sick one day and watched I Know My First Name is Steven. I know now it wasn't 100% accurate, it let me know I wasn't the only child being abused in the world either. That I was still worthy of love no matter how I felt about myself inside.
Steven saved my life. Stevens story saved my life. The love from his friends and family gave me hope that I would still be loved once the abuse was exposed, many years later.
Thank you to the Stayner family for raising an amazing son and loving him through it all!
This was the first abduction case I ever really knew about. I was home sick one day and watched I Know My First Name is Steven. I know now it wasn't 100% accurate, it let me know I wasn't the only child being abused in the world either. That I was still worthy of love no matter how I felt about myself inside.
Steven saved my life. Stevens story saved my life. The love from his friends and family gave me hope that I would still be loved once the abuse was exposed, many years later.
Thank you to the Stayner family for raising an amazing son and loving him through it all!
November 22, 2018
Lots of tears
I remember seeing Steven and the actor who portrayed him in the movie on a talk show. And then I was hearing Steven was gone. The story broke my heart then and it hurts again now. Such a tragedy. I can only hope that when Steven drew his last breath, that he did so knowing that he had made such a huge impact on so many lives and that he was so very loved.
I remember seeing Steven and the actor who portrayed him in the movie on a talk show. And then I was hearing Steven was gone. The story broke my heart then and it hurts again now. Such a tragedy. I can only hope that when Steven drew his last breath, that he did so knowing that he had made such a huge impact on so many lives and that he was so very loved.
September 25, 2019
A Must Read
I would like to believe we have come a long ways in prosecuting these sick disgusting evil people. My heart ached for Steven and his lost childhood. And then the motorcycle I couldn't believe it. How could one family have such terrible things happen to them? ):
Thank you for this book. May we all walk away making the world know we won't tolerate these perverts!!!
I would like to believe we have come a long ways in prosecuting these sick disgusting evil people. My heart ached for Steven and his lost childhood. And then the motorcycle I couldn't believe it. How could one family have such terrible things happen to them? ):
Thank you for this book. May we all walk away making the world know we won't tolerate these perverts!!!
April 11, 2022
A wake up call
This is a heart breaking true story about an abducted child. Enough detail to make a parent shudder. But it also tells of a child who overcame the horror to help others.
This is a heart breaking true story about an abducted child. Enough detail to make a parent shudder. But it also tells of a child who overcame the horror to help others.
April 25, 2022
intense
I read this book in a day, wow tragic and then after reading the book I found out even more about the family. That poor mother has given Job a run for his money. Written well- not a feel good ending unfortunately but sometimes that is real life.
I read this book in a day, wow tragic and then after reading the book I found out even more about the family. That poor mother has given Job a run for his money. Written well- not a feel good ending unfortunately but sometimes that is real life.
July 12, 2022
While hard to read at times due to the horrific abuse this poor child suffered, it is so well written. Such a tragic tale. Steven was a true hero. I pray for his family.
October 8, 2022
Kidnaqed at age six and sexually abused from the first forward when he turns older his kidnapper takes another boy. Steven takes the boy to the police
February 25, 2020
A Courageous Human Being That Should Be Remembered as Such
All my life I have heard and seen Steven's story. It hit very close to home because Steven and I were the same age, and I grew up in California. I remember the sudden warnings and scares of Stranger Danger. I like this book because it shows Steven not only as a victim, but more so a hero and a strong, caring person, who lived a very tragic life. I have sorrow for what he endured, but also a strong respect of the person who made the most of his life instead of dwelling on his past. I appreciate the author showing me a different side of the story.
All my life I have heard and seen Steven's story. It hit very close to home because Steven and I were the same age, and I grew up in California. I remember the sudden warnings and scares of Stranger Danger. I like this book because it shows Steven not only as a victim, but more so a hero and a strong, caring person, who lived a very tragic life. I have sorrow for what he endured, but also a strong respect of the person who made the most of his life instead of dwelling on his past. I appreciate the author showing me a different side of the story.
March 7, 2014
I liked the book much more than the movie, I Know My Name is Steven, as the movie just seemed to dwell on the molestation that occurred. This book was much more about what it took for Steven to survive his ordeal, the effect on his friends and family, and the courage it took to save another child and break away. Steven and I were close to the same age so I remember hearing about him in the news, especially when he escaped in 1980, my senior year. It is just so sad that he had so few years free of captivity. He was taken much too early.
July 5, 2015
This is well written and moves quickly. I wish the author had spent more time on the family dynamics, especially regarding the oldest son, Cory. As an audience, we are trying to figure out what happened to this poor family. Still, that wasn't the point of the book, Steven was and I think his story was told well.
May 4, 2015
This could happen to anyone's child
Remembering the news reports, this book came up on special last week and I decided to refresh a story I thought I knew. In reality, after reading this book, I found I knew nothing, but now I know the story of one of God's Angels. Read this, it will bring tears and touch your heart.
Remembering the news reports, this book came up on special last week and I decided to refresh a story I thought I knew. In reality, after reading this book, I found I knew nothing, but now I know the story of one of God's Angels. Read this, it will bring tears and touch your heart.
August 28, 2011
Another look at the seven-year kidnap story, unfortunately told in very poor writing. Still, it's worth reading, if only to highlight the importance of keeping an eye on your kids.
June 5, 2012
I have been fascinated by this story for years. I am hoping that this a clearer, more accurate story, as the author claims.
April 12, 2013
I couldn't put it down.
February 2, 2014
Tough to read, more because of the content and being a parent. Here is a boy that turned a horrible experience into a tool to reach others.
May 24, 2014
Excellent, sad story.
February 3, 2016
An account of a young man and the evil he encountered with fictionalized dialogue. An important book and topic.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews