Published in the Boulder Camera - January 10th, 1997
This is an awful way to start a new year after you get "Happy New Year" wishes from everyone.
I really don't feel happy and I wonder, how long will this sadness last? I never expected such a tragedy as little JonBenet's murder. Although I have not seen her since she was a baby, I have talked to her mother several times. I'll always remember the family as kind, good people; a soft-spoken father who is kind and loving, and his children are his life, and a beautiful mother who is always radiant. She's the only woman I've ever seen who comes to breakfast in her housecoat and looks like a ray of sunshine.
I was the housekeeper and nanny to their little son who was born while I was there. Both are devoted parents and I was crazy about Burke. I used to rock him to sleep; he loved Handel's Messiah's "Halleluiah Chorus." I have in my heart and mind so many happy memories of the whole family including grandparents and aunts. The oldest children had so much grace and class, so well behaved and refined.
When I saw that little coffin and the grieving parents, I was stunned. Who could do such a violent, crazy deed? It is plain insanity for anyone to even think a family member would have done it. After Mr. Ramsey's oldest daughter died, JonBenet was his salvation to go on from his sorrow, loosing his oldest.
Burke adored his little sister. When I babysat, I watched him playing with her when she woke up. He would tell me she woke up so I could change her. He always was a highly motivated, intelligent child. He figured out at 5 months in his walker, how to unscrew every doorknob in his kitchen. I used to call him "Super Kid." I took him to the piano and took his little finger to play: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." He enjoyed it at least five minutes, which is a long time for a six months old. He loved for me to read to him. I could write a book about them, titled "The Love of One Family."
I was asked how Mr. Ramsey is taking all the tragedies in his life. I said he has a tremendous inner strength - he is like the Rock of Gibralter. He will never ever forget it, but he lets God comfort him in the belief, what He does, he accepts it. Mrs. Ramsey is the same. When you have two people loving each other like they do, nothing can come between them. They share tragedies together.
Finally, as I wrote in their card:
God gave you JonBenet for a little while. Now she is in heaven, in the sunshine of God's smile.
God bless all of you for supporting them.
SHIRLEY BRADY
Americus, Ga.