An open letter to all,

I wish to thank each and every one of you for the support you have demonstrated and offered to me.

The outpouring of compassion and caring that I have received is almost overwhelming and has done much to reinstate my core belief in the basic goodness of humanity.

I have received messages, emails and letters from people around the world expressing their condolences at the loss of my husband and best friend, David.

They also expressed their outrage at my home having been burglarized while I followed the ambulance to the hospital when David died.

I believe that this public expression of outrage was a key element in giving the courage necessary for those who knew anything to speak with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, which then enabled the detectives and officers to make the arrests of two lost souls suspected of being the burglars.

For this, I am eternally grateful. Hopefully, it will also lead to the return of the things removed from my home.

It saddens me that there are people who for whatever reason have reached a point in their lives where they feel it necessary to rob and hurt someone else. How horrible it must feel to be that desperate.

As hatred hurts only the person doing the hating, I have chosen to forgive those involved. This doesn’t mean that I think they should go unpunished, it just means that forgiving them is easier than the burden of my having to carry the poison that is hatred.

It also saddens me that the same people who have shown such compassion for me cannot find it in their hearts to show some compassion to the people who must have been so desperate that they were capable of the despicable act of robbing from the dead.

Having not lived their life, I am unable to comprehend what could have brought the suspects to such a low point in their lives, that committing such an act seemed a reasonable option for them.

It is also my wish that some compassion could be spared for the families of these two suspects. Their hearts must be breaking. I can’t imagine the pain and embarrassment they are going through. I hope they know that I wish them no ill will and do not hold them responsible.

I believe in the words of Ezekiel 18:20 “ … The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.”

I am still trying to cope with facing the everyday challenges of finding my way in life without my love and best friend, David, at my side.

However, I do wish to again thank each and every one of you for all you have done in helping me to heal and in helping to bring these two suspects to justice.

It is my hope to be able to share the many blessings I have by paying it forward and helping others. I would love it if you all would join me in spreading the goodness of humanity and maybe together we can make it a better world.

Naomi Richmond lives in Lower Lake, Calif.