1,384 Comments for Gaebler Children's Center

Happy holidays everbody...one without tears (I hope) as John and Yoko used to sing...

Dear Pookie,

For me it is amazing how much of the past injuries and insults and indignities. I just block most of it out most of the time.

Yet it is so nice to come to this forum and realize that many who endured the abuse of Gaebler have love and a good life today.

But yes, there were a few decent staff members back in the day.

One taught me about drawing and over the course of my time there; and he and a couple of other counselors encouraged my love of reading. So, though we were on different wards during different years; there were those kind workers who were bright spots for me too.

It hurts to hear that things can't improve for your family, but at the same time I am glad to hear you are part of a loving family.

I thank you again for your kind attention and will certainly remember you in my prayers.

Thanks & Peace

Jan Pinkowitz, no apologies necessary. I just can't believe that we as kids had to endure such horrible treatment. I don't know how the Dept of Mental Health sleeps at night, I am sure if this was one of their kids, they would never have put them there, it was jail with physical, verbal,mental & sometimes sexual abuse. Not to mention the drugging that us kids got. They drugged us to keep us calm, I was so scared there, all I did was be calm and shut my mouth and do what I was told cause they for sure instilled the fear in me. My staff members on Ward D were, Jack,he was such an Ahole,Melody with the hook hand,she was so mean to all of us, she would swing her arm/hand hook at us like to scare us and verbally abuse us, Harvey, who just loved to egg us kids on to be secluded, thrown to the floor and then thrown in the seclusion room,he almost kid my boyfriend there,he beat him so badly that Willy the staff member who was actually nice to us kids called his parents and told them what happened and said come get him, so they came and got him, had to go to court and Harvey got into trouble,I am not sure what kind of trouble,but,he made it out that the kid he beat was being out of control, my boyfriend was sleeping at the time, he woke him up out of a sleep for the fun of it. Suzanne was the other staff member who was really nice,her and Willy were a couple, we called Willy Pickle,they truly cared about us kids. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of great memories there, I met the bestfriends in the world,and I still talk to a handful of them, and I see a couple of them. I am glad that closed that place down in 1992,but,not happy that they tore the building down, Boiler and I went in there together a few times before it was taken apart and torn down, my husband and I went in there all the time since I live in Waltham, it was just so nice that I could come and go as I pleased and didn't get locked in the building,a bedroom, the shower room or the Ward. It was freedom, and I was just so happy to say FU I made it out of here and you didn't break me. I wish the City of Waltham would have done something good out of that building for troubled kids, like a day center place and have children that were actually there be staff members, cause I honestly believe that us children can really only understand what a troubled child goes through, no drugs, no locked doors, just a center to help kids and make them see and understand that they are not bad. But, the building was just incased in so much Asbestos that they felt it was cheaper to tear it down, now there is nothing there but, the water tower, it looks strange. I often walk through the woods, go to Rock Meadow where the swing set still is and swing on the swings with my youngest daughter and husband,it's just so surreal...Thank you for saying you hope things improve for me, sadly,I have to say they won't, but, I am not dwelling on it, I just thank god for everyday they let my daughter's wake up and let me share another day with them and let me husband wake up so he can aggravate me another day lol he is the best, and I am very fortunate to have him all these years. Thank you for your prayers, I can never have enough of them.....xxxxxx.....

Thanks to boiler for his attention and my apologies to you Pookie for assuming the worst...I hope things improve for you and your family

Thank you for your response Pookie, no wonder you overlooked those entries of mine with all the responsibilities with which you have to cope. I will pray for you.

John, you are very welcomed about Kim's last name and the video, I did my best to get as much video's and pictures of Gaebler before it got torn down, I was in there a couple dozen times and did my best, it was very dark in there, so it was hard to do....I am so glad you are still around and doing good, that makes me happy to hear that, I hate when I hear about some of the kids who were not as fortunate as us to get past it, not get over it or get over what we went through,just get past it so we can live a happier life then we had in that hell.....

Jan Pinkowitz, Hello there, I didn't purposely not respond to you on here, I honestly never saw you leave me a comment on here, it was an oversight on my part, that's all, it was done to be mean at you, that is not the type of person I am or ever was either. I am truly sorry for your horrible time at Gaebler and the drugging and abuse you got, no, you did not deserve it, none of us did, it was horrible to say the least. I will never understand how any of these social workers,so called Dr's got away with the treatment of us children, that is what we were, we were children and led to believe that we were horrible and bad and we deserved the treatments they gave us, I never had Mike in the cafeteria be mean at me, I don't know if he was there when I was there 82-84, I can't remember any of their names, the only one I can remember is Manuela Carrion as she was 1 of the cooks there and was so nice to me and the kids. She truly cared about us kids. thank you for the website, I will check it out, I do have a lot going on in my life right now, so if I don't get back to you, please don't take it personally, I have 2 chronically ill children with no cures, a sick mother and a husband with COPD, and I work, I will try and check on here more often, once again I am truly sorry....

Patrick ward e 82-84, No I am not Michelle LaCroix, my maiden name was woods

Jan
Pookie has not been here for so.e time I know that for a fact. She will visit soon

It always heartwarming to hear that ones kind words makes one feel better

Thank you for your empathy Mr. Struts...Your words are a consoling balm

*Jan Pinkowitz

I feel ya, Jan Pinkowitz, I feel a deep compassion for you gaebler ex-patients, just as for all these sould who suffered and died in these mental institutions. I´ve been stuck in a sheltered workshop for years, for an mental illness wich I never had, and it was degrading, I know what its like. You guys will always have my commiseration.

As a survivor of Gaebler I was disappointed that Pookie didn't respond to the entries I made on my lived experience at Gaebler or in regards to the other information I wrote above last year. Ideally I hoped for some comment on the substance of what I shared and emotional support and affirmation. Perhaps she hasn't read my response to her initial reply to my comment about Dr. Gair, but I doubt that and feel hurt. But I set my gaze on the present and celebrate my improved living conditions today, though I can never forget Gaebler and the deep scars I bear from that time.

Dreamer
I can't believe we have connected again. You are as beautiful as I remember you were. You are still a awesome person. It's good to know that so many of us were able to lead normal lives after leaving that place.

Boiler 1220, Hi!! .. It's Shauna, I'm so happy u found me.. Thank u for connecting be back to my roots with such great people..