The Joseph Palczynski Story

Tracy Whitehead is working hard, learning how to drive, determined to keep her life moving forward. September will mark her second anniversary off drugs, she says.

She continues to wear the necklace Joby gave her in the woods as well as the ring - but not the wedding band.

No man will ever mistreat her again, she vows.

When she cleaned out the apartment she and Joby had shared, she took the karaoke machine and the camcorder. Her son wanted the Michael Myers "Halloween" mask and a photo of Joby posing behind a cut-out of a soldier shooting a bazooka. She left behind Joby's prized collection of porcelain wizards and dragons and a family picture with the note: I love u Miss Pat.

Pat Long has struggled with her grief, her guilt about the lives her son took and her memories of his bullet-ridden body. But there have also been moments of comfort when she has sensed her son's presence, such as the time Joseph's birth date turned up as the winning lottery numbers.

On a recent day, Tracy dropped by Pat's house unexpectedly. Before Joby died, she had seen Miss Pat almost constantly for two years. She'd been thinking about her a lot, wondering how she was doing.

Pat had been worried, too, hoping the trauma of all this wouldn't send Tracy back to drugs. They were both going through hell - and she didn't blame Tracy for it. Joseph knew his time was coming, Pat told her.

The young woman gave Miss Pat her new phone number. Pat showed Tracy her son's death certificate and his last letter, written March 17 in the house where he hid before seizing his hostages on Lange Street:

Dear Mom:

It's 3:15 p.m. and I just broke into another person's house. I've got a .357 Magnum and a Ruger 10-22 and a few other guns (I'm sure you don't want to hear that Mom). Please don't be upset with me considering I made the choice, yeah, I had sooo much to look forward to - I know. I've been sleeping in the woods and it's been cold - especially when it rained and I was all wet. Mom, I didn't mean to shoot Gloria and George, if only they kept sitting down I wouldn't have shot them. I feel bad for these family's. The other guy surprised me and out of reaction I shot him ...

Mom, when Dad killed himself, something inside me changed. Then when Tracy left - that's all it took. Well I'm sure someone will write a book, make a movie about me. Mom, please tell the family I'm sorry about this mess. I really am.

I know living without me in your life will be difficult but try to live it ... I don't mean to hurt you. Please forgive me . . . . I know a lot of people who love me are disappointed. I'm sorry. Well, I love all of you.

Love, Joseph 007

The two women stood there together with the letter. When one began crying, so did the other. Then Pat Long hugged Tracy Whitehead so hard she could feel both their hearts beating.