One fateful evening, the Whitaker family walked into their house to discover a gunman waiting for them. He opened fire on the family, killing the wife and one son. Mr. Whitaker and his other son were airlifted to a local hospital and survived the deadly attack. While lying in the emergency room, Mr. Whitaker learned of his wife and son’s deaths and had to decide whether to hate their killer or forgive him. Mr. Whitaker chose the path of forgiveness.
What Mr. Whitaker didn’t realize then was that the man he would have to forgive was his surviving son, Thomas “Bart” Whitaker. The emotional story of murder, conspiracy and forgiveness goes all the way down to the day Bart Whitaker was scheduled to die. Whitaker had a final meal. His father visited the prison for the last time before his scheduled execution. “We touched hands through the glass and said our goodbyes,” Whitaker said.
Just minutes before he was scheduled to die by lethal injections, Thomas “Bart” Whitaker’s sentence was commuted to life in prison with no chance for parole for masterminding the fatal shootings of his mother and brother.
Plan to hear Kent Whitaker’s firsthand account of forgiveness and mercy on Sunday, May 17, at 4:00 p.m. through a Zoom meeting. Please register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMkde6oqj4uE9WjaR72krdSqafDZ8LGS6Xd. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
