Kenneth D. Connelly (KC) is a speaker, educator and author.
He volunteers his time educating individuals, state,local, and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations on the effects of child abduction, neglect and abuse.
Kenneth also speaks as a motivational and life skills speaker for groups, companies functions and religious organizations.
Prior to this he worked sales, law enforcement and as a volunteer firefighter/paramedic.
In 1993 He left the U.S. Army after an injury to his spine. Received an Honorable-Medical Discharge and immediately reported to the Department of Veteran Affairs. I have never been one to just lie down and quit. I spent the next four years trying different vocations. I worked as a welder, roughneck, truck driver and in sales. In early 1996 His right hand was crushed in an accident. He spent the next nine months in rehabilitation and multiple surgeries. In the end He lost the middle section of his hand, down to the the wrist. Multiple pins, cadaver bones and joints were placed in his hand. The final result, a Ray Amputation, Thank you Doctor David Peeler Brown of the Hand Surgery Center of San Antonio, TX.
At the end of rehab, he started working in retail and going to school. In 1997 Kenneth graduated school and earned a state certificate as an EMT. Continued to work as both a Medic and in sales. Later hired and transferred to New Mexico. There He worked as a finance manger and sales manager in of all things, Modular Homes. Later he left the industry altogether and went to work as a law enforcement officer.
In law enforcement Kenneth found his calling. Working with both adult and juvenile offenders, Kenneth seen more of his youth in them. As though looking through a dirty mirror of his soul, that part of his life he wanted to keep buried bubbled to the top; His childhood.
From having been abducted by his father. Held for three years in a life of turmoil and lies, later found and returned to a mother and life neither remembered. Often Kenneth turned to what ever means he could use to survive in the home of a Wife Beater and mother who moved every six weeks to three months. That part of his life he barely escaped stared him in the eyes, everytime he looked into the eyes of those children.
Battling his spinal injury since the day Kenneth left the Army, and eating large amounts of pain medication and rubbing his legs & back with Icy Hot; I hid the pain and disability from everyone. Late in 2001 his back started locking up on him resulting in multiple Emergency Room visits.
In October of 2003, Kenneth's spinal injury got the better of him. After having pushed his body well beyond what it could handle, permanent nerve damge set in and he could no longer lie to himself or others. He would have to take a back seat and settle.
"If adversity makes you stronger, then the outcome is a blessing".
In 2004 he met his future wife and relocated to Dallas, TX. Kenneth married his best friend the following year and underwent spinal fusion surgery. Later the next year his brother Samuel came to visit him for the first time in years.
Sam and Kenneth have a unique bond besides being the only siblings to share both parents. They are survivors of parental child abduction, negelct and psychological abuse. Both having been abducted in 1980 – 1983 by their father. It was one of the first cases in U.S. history for a parent to be tried and convicted of felony count child abduction.
The next year would define and mold my previous experiences and skills into a passion like no other.
2005 was the twenty fifth anniversary of their abduction from California. Soon I found myself heavily involved in the cause and fight to end this horrible crime. I met with key people involved in child abduction and formed my own group, AFW. I have since spoke to numerous groups, law enforcement, case mangers, lawyers and judges. I have met with senior members of NCMEC (NationalCenter for the Missing and Exploited Children), First Lady Laura Bush and Senator K. Hutchinson.
I have testified as an Expert Witness in a similar court case, made a documentary film about my abduction for educational purposes. It is my up most passion to end this type of crime. I devote myself to speaking and writing on this subject.
Currently I am waiting for my publishing date. It is a barebones look at the life of a child during an abduction. No other book has ever covered this topic through the eyes of a child. The book; Throwing Stones, has been compared to Dave Pelzer's book, A Child Named It, and is the case study for professionals.
I hope it will enlighten all who read it and allow them to come to their own conclusions about Parental Abduction and the types of abuse that follow. If you are going to tell a story, you cannot tell partof it. For that reason, I have opened my life up for examintation; airing all my dirty laundry per say. A twentyfive year case study.
I consider myself an artist, veteran, activist father and above all a husband.
God Bless.
Kenneth Dale Connelly (KC)
214 364 4181
www.BadGramer@yahoo.com
www.kdconnelly05@hotmail.com
Feel free to read the story at Dallas Morning News: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-abduct_29met.ART.State.Edition2.2908a92.html
Birth Place: Garden Grove, CA USA
Accomplishments: Expert Witness on Child Abduction
Guest speaker at the Texas Emergency Mangement Conf/Regional Homeland Security Conf.
Educator and speaker on Child Abduction
American Correction Asso Cert 1, 2 & T
NASA CAS Scholastic award
Oroville School District Young Writers Award
Law Enforcement and Military Awards
Texas State EMT
Colo State Youth Counselor/Right of Passage Coach
Have been awarded the ability to speak on my story and have it count for both law enforcment and mental health professionals continuing hours of eductaion.