Already extremely strong, the message in Katy Hutchison's presentation of The Story of Bob has gained even greater impact a couple of times in recent weeks.
The former Squamish resident tells The Story of Bob in presentations to schools and community groups throughout Canada, recounting the murder of her then-husband Bob McIntosh on New Year's Eve in 1997 at a Garibaldi Highlands house party.
Hutchison has since remarried and lives with her husband, Victoria lawyer Michael Hutchison, and her twins Emma and Sam, in the capital city.
Fulfilling her request at his sentencing hearing more than a year ago, Hutchison has been joined on the podium in the presentation of The Story of Bob to two groups recently by Ryan Aldridge, who confessed to killing McIntosh after a five-year silence.
Aldridge was caught in a police sting in 2003 and later confessed in a teary conversation that was played to a packed North Vancouver courtroom where he pleaded guilty to manslaughter before Judge Doug Moss.
Judge William Diebolt later sentenced the then 25-year-old to five years in jail. Aldridge remains in jail in the Fraser Valley.McIntosh was killed when he went to check on a nearby neighbour's house party, hosted by the owner's son. Court heard that McIntosh was knocked unconscious by one punch from Ryan McMillan, and then was kicked several times "soccer-style" in the head by Aldridge.
Despite an intensive investigation by the RCMP, what was described as a "cone of silence" descended on the community, including the more than 100 young people whom had attended the party.
After Aldridge's guilty plea, McMillan pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of common assault and received a three-year conditional discharge.
Since 2003 when she started, Hutchison has taken The Story of Bob to hundreds of schools, where she says her request of young people to take responsibility for their actions and make the right choices has been heard by more than 70,000 people.
So far, the groups that have heard the combined message from Hutchison and Aldridge include 400 Grade 8 students in Abbotsford and a collection of different community stakeholders at the annual general meeting of the Abbotsford Restorative Justice Association.
"It was pretty amazing," Hutchison said of the joint presentation. "In other presentations I have a letter from Ryan that I read, but in these ones he read it himself, and there is an opportunity for people to ask questions. It changes the whole dynamic of the presentation considerably."
Because Aldridge is still in jail, Hutchison couldn't say much about how he is able to attend the sessions, or what he says during them.
"We can do these in the Lower Mainland when he has the opportunity and my schedule permits," she said. "He has an escort with him, and that is all arranged at the institutional end. We asked to be able to do this together, and he has the opportunity to know when I am making presentations, so he can get the arrangements made."
No media are allowed at the sessions Aldridge attends.
"It has been comfortable so far, and we will keep doing it as long as we can take it slowly and respectfully," said Hutchison. "It's important for me that he doesn't feel pushed, exploited or beholden. Baby steps are the best way to go. I am sure there is some nervousness on his part because of the subject matter, but Ryan is extremely articulate, he speaks well and he speaks from the heart."
Hutchison said over the course of the years, her presentation, accompanied by a slide show of Bob's life as a husband, father, lawyer, and world-class triathlete, has evolved considerably.
"I bring to the schools the social justice issues and message about synergies and resilience, but the presentation has really evolved in the directions of restorative justice as well," Hutchison said. There's not a lot more I can say. This is all very new, and the school kids were really bowled over.
"As long as it feels right, we'll keep doing this whenever we can."
