Notes from Chris' siblings

[erikhalfacre]

So who here's seen these letters from Chris' siblings?

http://www.christophermccandless.info/carinemccandless.html
http://www.christophermccandless.info/shelly-mccandless.html
http://www.christophermccandless.info/stacy-mccandless.html
http://www.christophermccandless.info/shawna-mccandless.html

If you have not, it's probably worth reading these to get another perspective.

If you have, what are your thoughts?

[ellisd]

I read them and I think they are exactly what needed to be said. It's not a great thing to go through a family break up or what have you, But I think it was a good thing those letters were written and shared. It sheds alot more light on the motivations of Chris 'leaving' (IMO).
What upsets me is the fact that Chris' parents completely left out Chris' siblings when making the recently released book and DVD. I mean who else better to share the story of Chris that his family? If you know chris' story, then you know how close he was to Carine, and she was no where to be found on the project. Instead they bring in alot of outsiders for the project, not that there work wasn't good or anything like that, I have no problem with them, I just kind of have a problem with the way his parents left out there own family.
Not trying to step on anyone's toes, just my two cents.

[ladyandtramp]

What upsets me is the fact that Chris' parents completely left out Chris' siblings when making the recently released book and DVD. I mean who else better to share the story of Chris that his family? If you know chris' story, then you know how close he was to Carine, and she was no where to be found on the project. Instead they bring in alot of outsiders for the project, not that there work wasn't good or anything like that, I have no problem with them, I just kind of have a problem with the way his parents left out there own family.
Not trying to step on anyone's toes, just my two cents.

On Carine McCandless's Facebook page Into The Wild, she writes the following on this subject:

"I respect the charitable work my parents perform in Chris's name and hope it has had a positive effect on their lives as well as those they help. One such effort is the new book they are publishing of his photographs. I do not wish to hinder the success of this project. I do feel the need to state that none of Chris’s siblings were involved in the creation of it. In my opinion it lacks an essential balance to be a true testament to Chris and his journey. It is a simple fact that other than Walt and Billie, no member of his memorial foundation has any personal knowledge of the true environment Chris grew up in. I do want to recognize that my parents adjusted the "Early Years" content on the web and removed what they had originally planned to include as a similar section in the book. Having seen it online, I informed them that it was extremely upsetting to my siblings and myself because we felt it was defamatory and unfair to Chris. I am optimistic that this section will also be absent from the follow up DVD, and hope that their admirable decision to omit it might bring some healing to this family."

Source: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Carine-McCandless-Into-The-Wild/233292636680957

[ladyandtramp]

Oops, I just realised the same thing is said in the letter that was recommended by Erik Halfacre!

[solovoyager]

It is a bit mind-boggling that the parents of Chris McCandless still seem to not "get it" as far as to what extent the effects their behavior had on all the children. And they continue to hurt them evidently. How could they not include the siblings - Carrine at the very least - in putting together Back To The Wild?

[erikhalfacre]

I think that's the question I'm most curious about. How could you not invite the input of the person who was closest to him in life, and yet caption every photo with Chris' supposed thoughts and feelings, while simultaneously obscuring the very motives he had to make such a drastic change in his life?

[pezar]

I can relate. My father was bipolar and schizophrenic, and although he never drank he beat me verbally and physically, constantly while I was growing up. One time he threatened to abandon me in the Nevada desert; another to kill me outright and "bank the money we'll save". He urged me to deal drugs to solve his financial woes; fortunately the local gang rejected me for membership.

My parents constantly had money woes due to his spending, which were of course never HIS fault, but mom's and especially mine. I had to deal with his occasional insistence that we all (including the house) were possessed by demons, one time he got some evangelical pastor to do an exorcism on him and insisted that I needed an exorcism too. Fortunately by then I was an adult and had the ability to say no. We used to argue in wild rages fueled by psychosis, both his and mine, and they usually ended with me getting beaten.

I moved out three days after HS graduation, and moved to San Francisco, which in 1994 was still a relatively affordable city, one with more apartments than renters. The Internet had yet to transform the Bay Area into the center of the universe. That was my Alaska, and while I always had food, I didn't have money for much other than rent, electricity, and a bus pass. I left just ahead of the dot.com hurricane.

[Husky]

Very moving letters from the syblings... Thanks for mentioning them, Eric. For those who haven't read them- don't miss the last one from Shawna- she sums it up so well in only 5 or 6 lines.

[vergeetmenietje]

I can't imagine how hard it must be to grow up in such a family. I'm so grateful that I'm growing up in a loving and caring family.
It's very disturbing to know that they made the new book, without asking Chris's siblings, their own family.
The ironic bit about the money from the charity being for "mother's with needy children" is even worse.
I'm glad they shared this information with the rest of the world.

[GoNorth]

If you have, what are your thoughts?

Very interesting to read, indeed, and the contents really correspond quite exactly to my impression of this family so far.