A Promise Kept. A Story Told. A Moment I’ll Never Forget.
There are moments in life that shift who we are—and moments we reconcile the past with our present.
Puppet Slam at Denver Fringe was one of those moments for me.
The night of June 7th, I had the opportunity to share the most personal piece of art I have ever formed into existence. For the first time in public, I shared Killer Prophecies of My Life—a musical film that recreated parts of my escaped reality in 2017. It was the most personal, vulnerable, and artistically honest thing I’ve ever created.
I wasn’t prepared for the waves of feelings that would hit me that night.
There was something sacred about standing on a stage and introducing a piece that came from the darkest corners of my life. Something sacred about being surrounded by people who understand the craft, who see the layers in what I made, and who didn’t flinch with the reality of mental escape. I want to thank Katy Willams for capturing the video of my introduction.
I was astounded by the response merely from my introduction, but nothing hit me harder than what I heard when I stepped off stage.
From the audience, I heard my eldest say, “That’s my mom.”
I don’t have the words to explain what that meant. There was a time I wasn’t sure I’d be entrusted with my children again. A time when the symptoms of psychosis had ripped so much away from me—including my ability to show up as a safe, regulated parent. I’ve spent years working to rebuild what was lost. That sentence—just four words—meant everything.
Showing this recreation through The Mental Felts was a promise fulfilled.
A promise I made to myself, eight years ago in a hospital, when I swore I would survive and one day tell my story. Not just for me, but for all the parts of me that fractured in that time.
And I did it.
We did it.
And I didn’t do it alone.
Kilah Storm was there for me through the hardest days of filming—when the story got heavy, when we returned to the actual places my mind unraveled. She held me when the air felt thin. She helped carry the camera and my heart. There’s no version of this story where I make it through without her love.
Katy Williams gave me a stage. Not just a spotlight, but space to be seen. I’ll forever be grateful to her for so very many reasons.
Vanessa James and Devin Page helped me capture pieces of footage I was lacking. Their creativity and presence helped shape what this film became, and I’m endlessly grateful for their contributions.
I want to thank my friends Lori and Laura for coming to share this moment with me.
I am also thankful to Miss Ida Ho for giving me the perfect introduction.
It’s taken me a few weeks to find the words.
Because the truth is—my inner world is still processing the weight and beauty of what has come.
To be on a stage.
To feel seen for who I am.
This is the dream I’ve had since I was a child, and this moment was fully felt.
