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Statement from Stacey Doss at Dayton vigil for Baby Vanessa

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By Maggie Short Updated 9:18 AM Tuesday, July 27, 2010

This statement was read on behalf of Stacey Doss at the Dayton vigil:

"To My Wonderful New Friends In Dayton,

I'm not even sure where to begin and how to even express how much the love, support, encouragement and genuine concern you have shown for me and my dear Vanessa has touched me. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. When my mom and I where in Dayton for three weeks when Vanessa was born, everyone — from the man in Babies R Us who helped me create my baby registry, to the housekeeping staff at our hotel who let us sleep until noon because they knew we had a newborn — everyone was so warm and friendly and sincere. I remember Vanessa's first big outing: to The Waffle House. I was thrilled because we don't have Waffle Houses in California, and I LOVE their pecan waffles. Vanessa was cozy as could be in her little sling draped around my neck. She was only a few days old, and everyone wanted to see her, coo over her, asd wish us all the best. I will be so proud to tell her one day that she was born in such a lovely community amongst such loving people.

You have opened your homes to me and offered me a place to stay. You have emailed me words of encouragement when I was really down. You have donated generously to Operation Vanessa. You have told me your adoption stories and custody battles and heartbreaks over your own children. You have single handedly created an incredible candlelight vigil, and even got the Operation Vanessa volunteers in California to follow in your footsteps with their own. You have prayed for me and Vanessa, loved us from miles away, and thrown your arms around us as if we are family. You have left me utterly amazed at how quickly and powerfully you have united perfect strangers, all in the name of the love we all have for one very special little girl.

A special thank you to Jenny Rapson and Amy Cribbs for stepping forward and leading this candlelight vigil in Vanessa's name. I will never forget what you have done for us. One of the emails I received when I first heard from all of you Dayton moms said, "you're stuck with us now!!! You won't be able to get rid of us until this is all over and Vanessa is safe!!!" Boy was THAT email ever true! Your tenacity is admirable, and it reminds me of two very special people I know who are also just that tenacious. One is my little Miss Vanessa, who is a pistol alright! Obviously cut from the same cloth as all of you. The other is my birth mother, Andrea. My soul sister. The woman who gave me the greatest gift a human being could ever receive — a tiny baby placed from her heart into my arms, and a new title, the one I am most proud of ... Mommy. Her courage, her selflessness, her strength and her tenacity in the face of great obstacles becomes clearer and clearer to me with each passing day of this ordeal.

It was no accident that Andrea selected me as her daughter's adoptive mother. It was no accident that Vanessa brought the two of us together for a journey that neither one of us could have ever imagined. And it is no accident that together — Andrea, Vanessa, me and all of you — are about to change this country for the better. To do something good and right for our most precious possessions, our children. To give them the voice and the opportunities and the quality of life that they so deserve. Thank you for joining me, not just to save Vanessa, but to save ALL of the children who deserve the very best life possible, but might not have it. For all the parents who have heartbreaking stories similar to mine. This fight is for all of you too. And if Vanessa and I were chosen to be your voice and to tell your story, then despite all the pain this has caused us, I gladly accept that cross to bear.

Dayton, you are amazing, I love you, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Stacey

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