Michele Tresler-Ulriksen, R.I.P.

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The following from SIA Org:

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SIA Organization remembers Michele Tresler Ulriksen, author of Reform at Victory.

VIDEO from tvo.org (14:18): The Reform School

Michele Tresler-Ulriksen, author of Reform at Victory, is reported to be dead at 41. Details are sketchy, but the spokesperson at her Facebook profile writes that Michele died of accidental overdose. The Survivors of Institutional Abuse, an organization Michele volunteered her services for, cannot give details of her death until further information. Most of her adult life was taken up with writing and publishing Reform at Victory, a memoir of her time at Victory Christian Academy in Ramona, CA, a teen lockdown facility that was closed down due to abusive practices in 1992. It also concerned Carrie Dunn, whose pseudonym in the book is Christi, a girl who died on premises after a stack of drywall fell on her.

Michael Palmer, the man portrayed in Reform at Victory as 'Brother P', allegedly tried to open a home in Iowa. Michele contacted the local media and authorities concerning Palmer's connection to the abusive school he operated in Ramona, CA. The Fort Dodge Messenger published Troubling Legacy by Abigail McWilliam in 2009 that reported Palmer was scoping out buildings in that area.

"The last place she said Palmer might be opening a home is in Hawaii!" said Dwayne Walker, director of media and research at SIA Organization.

Jodi Hobbs, the President of SIA Organization, credits Michele's book and dogged pursuit of Palmer’s whereabouts for inspiring her to create SIA Organization.

"The Survivor's of Institutional Abuse would not be here without Michele." Jodi says, "Michele inspired others to speak out and share their own testimony of what happened to them. She was an advocate of getting the laws changed and spoke out at numerous events against abuse. Her tireless efforts changed many lives and gave others the strength and courage to come forward. SIA Organization's first convention will be dedicated in her honor for her commitment and tireless efforts in getting the word out and speaking against institutional abuse."

Reform at Victory
http://reformatvictory.com

Condolences are being left on her Facebook profile.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/prof ... 1701387565

Troubling Legacy by Abigail McWilliam:
http://www.messengernews.net/page/conte ... 13243.html

Lockdown: Are Teens and Taxpayers Paying the Price for ‘Christian Reform Schools? by Michele Ulriksen:
http://www.thehumanist.org/humanist/09_ ... iksen.html

How Faith Based Initiatives help unlicensed reform schools thrive by Michele Ulriksen:
http://girlsofvcanews.blogspot.com/2010 ... eform.html

NOTE: Please cut and paste web site addresses in your browser in order to be taken to the respective pages.


[Submitted by dwalker]
dwalker on Wednesday 23 March 2011 - 01:31:20 | Read/Post Comment: 0

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MyDeathSpace.com
Michele Tresler-Ulriksen (41) died from an overdose of Valium mixed with Grey Goose vodka

Filed Under: Suicide - Drug Overdose
Published: Apr 08, 2011 @ 9:41 AM

Michele Tresler-Ulriksen (41)

Date: Mar 12, 2011
Suicide by: Overdose
Location: Portland, OR
URL:  go to their myspace[/list][/list]

Earlier this month, my friend Michele Tresler (Ulriksen) slipped into the cosmos. She was best known for her memoir, "Reform at Victory," which describes her year-long experience at an oppressive, fundamentalist Christian reform school as a teenager. You can learn more and/or order a copy at http://www.reformatvictory.com. Michele was a dedicated Atheist and social liberal, with a passion for writing, science, punk rock, comedy, her daughter Ashley, and her studies at Portland State University.

She will be dearly missed by friends and family, and others who recognized her friendly smile, her dark and witty sense of humor, intriguing intellectual capacity, and her natural charisma at being a wonderful human being. Michele struggled with depression and anxiety for much of her adult life, and chose to end her pain at her Portland residence in the late hours of Saturday, March 12th or in the early hours of March 13. She overdosed on prescription Valium and drank the better part of a 750 mL bottle of Grey Goose Vodka. This happened after indicating those very intentions on her facebook page in the comment section of a thread in which she initially stated, "[I am] one bad relationship away from having 30 cats." She was found 4 days later by her roommate Patrick, who had unassumingly gotten home late every night that week, and checked on Michele after her former husband Robert called and expressed concern.

I knew Michele as a co-worker at KOAC in Corvallis. She quit a few years before I did. She was an administrative assistant and quickly became a good friend of mine after I moved here 6 years ago. We had a lot in common as far as our outlooks on religion (for the most part) and politics, as well as our taste in comedy and attitude toward mainstream society. We also share the experience of being put in a fundamentalist Christian reform school against our will in our teen years. We stayed friends well beyond her departure at the radio station. It seems the last time I saw her was in the Summer. I regret missing her recent 41st birthday, for whatever lame excuse I had.

No funeral services are planned at this time, though a small memorial was held in Michele's honor in Corvallis on March 20. Michele's former husband and close friend, Robert Ulriksen indicated that she never liked to settle in one place, so will not be buried in the traditional sense. Michele is survived by her younger sister Lisa, her 15-year-old daughter Ashley, and her former husband Robert Ulriksen. Her friends have offered their support to her family in these tough times, and are still reeling from the painful reality of Michele's permanent absence.

Related Article(s): Blog about Michelea>


Copyright © 2009 MyDeathSpace.com

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Related Article(s): Blog about Michelea>

The text for the above MyDeathSpace article actually comes from Dan Crall's blog entry, Eulogy for Michele Tresler (Ulriksen) (23 March 2011), so I won't repeat it again. However, he did get some comments:


At 12:10 PM, March 27, 2011, Anonymous Nancy said...

This is incredibly sad news. Thanks for sharing with her friends to let us know what happened. Nancy Neary

At 2:45 PM, March 27, 2011, Blogger Pam said...

Dan, I am so sorry to hear about Michele, but not surprised. I knew of her mental health struggles while we worked together at KOAC and her family history. It is sad that someone who had much to give and who loved her daughter so dearly could be allowed to end her life. Medical sciience has a LONG way to go in this area. I dreamed of her earlier this month -- we went somewhere to have coctails in the city and were able to pick up our old friendsip. I will take tat as a sign she s happier now.
Pam

At 2:55 PM, March 29, 2011, Anonymous Jason said...

I was sad to hear this news and I thank you for letting OPB know. (I heard from Mary, who had heard from you.)

I know Michele battled with depression and, sadly, she is not the first unable to find the right treatment or relief from it before being overcome by it.

At 11:37 PM, April 21, 2011, Blogger Blackbird said...

Thanks for posting this. I just got this news. I was there during that year of Michelle's life when we were mentally and physically tortured everyday in the place she wrote the book about (I was the one responsible for getting the place closed down). Many of us have ptsd/severe anxiety/ depression for what we survived. I know what happened with Belinda after she got out must have weighed on her heavily as well. I am at least glad for her she got to experience being married and raising her daughter, as well as her education and getting the book published. I cannot imagine how much Robert and Ashley must be suffering

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From an article posted in another thread, "Biblical Reform School Discipline: Tough Love or Abuse?" (by Susan Donaldson James; April 12, 2011; ABC News), emphasis added:

Troubled teens often don't speak up for themselves, said another activist,

Michele Ulriksen Tresler, who wrote a book, Reform at Victory Christian Academy," chronicling her own experience at the IFB school.

"They are called liars because they are labeled rebellious teenagers," said Tresler. "We had drug addicts, prostitutes and alcoholics among regular girls who didn't belong there, dabbling in regular teen rebellion. There were girls with some major issues who should have been in a place that helped them and giving them tools to have social skills. But when they go to the cops, no one believes them."

Tresler died of a drug overdose on March 17, just weeks after this interview. According to her ex-husband, Robert Ulricksen, "VCA was a demon that haunted her for many years."[/list][/size]