Elizabeth Matzner

Growing up I have always had a fascination with animals. I my short life time I have had cats, dogs, birds, hamsters, horses. goats, fish, and turtles. I bought my first horse when I was eight years old, with money I saved from allowance and chores. After a lot of work and dedication in riding I won Champion of Green Hunter Division in 2006. My horse Dusty kept me at the barn all the time. He was my world, until the Thanksgiving morning of 2009. He was hit by a car and killed out in the middle of the highway. He was a notorious gate checker. He was a sweetest best friend a little girl could ever have. This sent me into a great depression for all of high school. It made me question anything I had ever thought about the world and how it works. How could something so special get ripped away so fast? I began cutting myself and thinking about suicide every other thought. My mother found me crying and found my scabby wrist. She asked me what was the matter. So, I told her everything and exactly what I was thinking. She asked one question, “How am I supposed to going on living without you?” From that moment on I have tried to not let my mother see any more of my pain and make her happy the best I can. I have since then brought myself to ride and enjoy horses.
My mother is a single parent, I have not talked to my dad in a few years. Mom always tried her best, taking me to horseback riding lessons, working nine to five everyday, and putting herself though school to make our life better. I was always an active, happy, kid. She attended East Tennessee State University and we lived in Johnson City, Tennessee for a while and then moved to Knoxville, Tennessee to While she attended University of Tennessee. We lived with, mom’s sister, my one and only Aunt Angie. Who was later killed in a car accident and left behind two amazing kids. In first grade we moved back to Bristol, Tennessee where I grew up. I attended Tennessee High School and graduated. I attended Northeast State Community College which was a rocky road. I took a couple semester off to “find myself” and after a couple failed attempts. Finally, I found my niche at Ferguson Animal Hospital. I alway knew that I wanted to work with animals since I was little. My job made me realize just how to do that. Now I am wanting to attend University of Tennessee at Martin to receive a Bachelors of Agriculture in Animal Health Sciences with the Option in Veterinary Technology. This will be the biggest move I have made in my life. Now that I am accepted into the school, I expect to be moving down there in August.
One of my mothers friends came over one night. David was mom’s friend from work before I was born and they lost contact after I was born. He eventually became moms boyfriend after he was at the house most nights. After about a year of living in the house he began making moves on me and it eventually turned into full out molestation. Many nights and morning before school he would touch me, kiss me, and master bate to me. I was very confused because he would make it seem like it was something that happened to everyone and it was normal. So I played into his act and never told a sole, plus I did not want to hurt my mother by making a mistake. This all started when I was in middle school. When I got
January 19, 2017
my first boyfriend my junior year of high school David was more hesitant to lay hands on me but it never really stopped.
I was at my a friends house the morning of March 1st, mom called and told me to come home because she found something that was disturbing. She had found thousands of pictures and videos of naked children ranging from infants to 16 years old on his computer. She asked me if David had touched me. I told her the whole truth. I guess being strong and not telling her was the wrong answer. After, she asked my cousin if David did anything to her. We found out David had raped her many times. Mom called the police and they came and did an investigation. He left from our home for 100 days and was finally placed in federal custody. After a year and a half was found guilty of production of child pornography on the federal level and still has state charges pending of child rape.
Since March 1,2015, the day my mother found the pictures, I have had to quit my job as assistant manager at the family business because of the humiliating relation between David and I. However I have gained a whole now light in life. I visited Alaska and while there it made me realize how much I love to travel and see new places. The only down side is the money it takes. To fuel that I came back home and started filling out job applications and got a job that has taught me so much. After working at Ferguson Animal Hospital for a year and a half my job has taught me my niche in life. It was lead me to bigger and better things. I have made a work family that I love and respect. The doctors and co-workers at my job are truly amazing. They have been helpful in teaching me so much about the veterinary world. I hope I can one day I can return and work along side of them.
Since December after finding the program at University of Tennessee at Martin, turning in the applications, and being accepted. I have been volunteering at other vet clinics for about 40 hours each and getting different experiences in exotic, small, and large animals. This volunteer work is going help me later in school and help me be a baby step ahead. Hopefully by getting out of Bristol Tennessee and moving away from where I grew up. I can move on with my life and not be looked at like a victim every where I go will help aid in my long term recovery. However, the cost of tuition and moving eight hours away for the first time on my own is going to strain my families and my pocket. I am hoping to help the strain by applying for scholarships. With a little bit of help I will be able to have the opportunity to have and be even more qualified to do the job of my dreams to help sick and healthy animals of all types.