A reply in a letter from Kip Kinkel to a 16-year-old girl in 2017 [Name blurred out to protect privacy]
“January 16, 2017
Dear —–
I received your letter. I don’t know if it will help you to receive this letter or not but the first thing I want to say is that I am sorry for the pain you are feeling.
I know this time in your life can be very difficult. However, I want to promise you that things will get better. Do not give up. Do not give in. Please know that your life will get better, You just have to hang in there during some dark periods.
And please trust me on the next point, If you are hearing things in your head that is saying awful things you need to ask an adult for help. You need to tell a school counselor or professional.
I know this might not seem like what you want to do, but trust me, there is help out there, and my biggest regret is that I never asked for it when I was a kid.
Find someone, an adult you can trust, and ask for help.
The pain you are feeling doesn’t have to be there.
Listen, normally when a 16-year-old writes me I don’t write back. However, in your case I am worried and I hope you take what I say seriously.
You are a good person and you are doing the right thing reaching out for help. Please talk to people, adults, you think you can trust. They can help you far better than I can.
Life can, and will, get better. Please just hang in there. Please trust me that things will get better if you just hold on.
Kip Kinkel is not the monster the greedy Oregon state lawyers claim he is. He is another reformed juvenile lifer who is remorseful for what he has done and can clearly benefit society if given the chance.