I was 14 years old when I ran away from Cedu. I believe my total was 15 times in 6 months, including a 21 day survival program in Idaho. Each time CEDU coached my parents to ignore my pleas and desperation to come home. Countless phone calls were ultimately denied in order to teach me the lesson that CEDU was the only answer. My parents had two different PI companies looking for me...with only one guy successful. At the end, they would find me, return me, process me and I would be right back out again. At the end, it was a game to me and I think, eventually, they decided they had to teach the others a lesson but not allowing me back and instead sending me to RMA.
I stayed at RMA for about nine months then left when my friend, David, graduated...so desperate I left mid-blizzard and only got to Bonners, if even that. Had a pretty lengthy punishment, if I remember correctly, only to get in trouble a few months later when I accidently punched another student in the jaw. Nicole, if you ever read this, I am sorry. Only moments before the incident, I had just heard that my sister, who I hadn't seen in a year plus, were not coming to visit me...I hated the situation I was in and I hated everything to do with that wicked place. After I hit Nicole, I was seperated from the rest of the students and kept in a room with only one other person to supervise me while RMA determined what should be done with me. Eventually, I was sent to a former staff members home where I spent a lovely Christmas with him and his family - I felt more a part of something there than I had felt at RMA. DIscussions were intense as people decided my fate...should I be sent to Provo, a six month wilderness school or back to the 21 day program...either way for whatever reason I was to be returned, eventually to RMA. RMA would not fucking let me or my parents money go! Did another 21 day wilderness program and afterward sent back to RMA. After that second trip, I suppose I was scared so I pretended to follow the program. Played the game and months later ran away with Danielle..had the adventure of our lives, some good, some bad. After no contact with my family for three weeks, I decided to call home. Finally, after almost two years of torture and tears, they agreed to bring me home. I can't even begin to explain how incredible it felt to be wanted by my family again. Years later, my Dad told me everything RMA/CEDU did to "convince" them to see it the "right and strong" way. Even to the bitter end, RMA tried to get my parents to lie to me and make me believe I was coming home to then snatch me up and return me to that hellhole. Things were tough afterward as I Danielle and I both struggled to regain our real understanding of who were were and our place in the real world. I'm 32 years old and I'm still haunted by the dark memories and moved by friendship that help get me through it all.
