Forgiving the Dead Man Walking

'What an incredible story! What kind of 16-year-old woman is this who could so personally engage her abductors that they felt obliged to return her safely home? But abduction and escape is only half of this story. The rest deals with traumatic aftershock in Debbie's life and the long, painful road to become whole again. There's refreshing honesty in these pages as Debbie reveals her own fierce struggles and mistakes so others can gain insight and courage.' -- Sister Helen Prejean, Author 'Debbie has allowed us to walk with her on an incredible journey to forgiveness. Her honesty reveals the eroding effects of a life without forgiveness -- I breathed with joy when she breathed with joy. What we see, what we hear, what we learn, is life-changing.' -- Chonda Pierce, Author 'A remarkable, wrenching story of grace and forgiveness.' -- Philip Yancey, Author

A true account by a survivor of the crimes committed by the rapist and killer made famous in the movie Dead Man Walking. Debbie Morris takes readers beyond the story of those crimes and into her journey of faith as she wrestles with the question all of us face at some point in life: Is there any crime, any hurt, any person beyond forgiveness?

It was just another time of enjoying milkshakes and small talk. Neither Debbie Cuevas nor her boyfriend, Mark Brewster, gave much thought to the white pickup truck that had pulled up beside them on the riverfront. Until . . . a revolver thrust through the driver’s window . . . a hand jerked Debbie’s head back and a voice said, "Don’t do anything stupid" . . . and a quiet Friday evening abruptly became a nightmare. For the first time, here is the untold other half of Dead Man Walking, the movie that depicted killer Robert Willie’s death-row relationship with spiritual advisor Helen Prejean. Now the woman whose testimony helped send Willie to the electric chair tells her side of the story--the side America hasn’t heard. In gripping detail, Debbie Morris--formerly Debbie Cuevas--recounts her hours of terror . . . and her years of walking an agonizing road back to wholeness. More than a riveting narrative, here is an incredible tale of courage, faith, and forgiveness. In a world where all of us struggle sooner or later with unforgiveness, Debbie Morris is a living testimony to the grace we long for: grace that shines more brightly than we dare believe, bright enough to triumph over the darkest evil.