The boy who overcame the odds | 17

Crime Beat

Curiouscast

True Crime, News, Society & Culture, History, Documentary

4.8 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 5 May 2020

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This episode begins with an investigation that rocked Alberta's foster care system. Garry Prokopishin took in troubled teenage boys: kids with behavioural and substance abuse issues. His foster home was considered a last resort for teens who had nowhere else to go. Those boys described having all the freedom in the world at the Prokopishin’s. They were allowed to smoke, they could have friends over, party, go out and not get in trouble. Prokopishin also took them out for dinner and drinks and made the boys feel special. A local association recognized him for his tireless efforts with boys, naming him “foster parent of the year." By 2009, Prokopishin had been operating a foster home for nearly 20 years and during that time 55 teenage boys had come under his care. Then, one young man came forward alleging sexual abuse. Before long, police revealed that abuse went beyond just one victim. The court process revealed Prokopishin used money and threats to manipulate the boys into keeping the abuse a secret for years. But what set these young boys on a path that led to the Prokopishin home in the first place? In covering this case, Hixt came to meet one of the young victims who revealed the abuse went much deeper. That’s what set the stage for his time with Prokopishin, who preyed on his vulnerability. Follow the shocking turns this case took as Nancy Hixt shares the story of young boy who was abandoned by the very people who were supposed to show him unconditional love and left him wanting a loving home. Contact: Twitter: @nancyhixt Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyHixtCrimeBeat/ Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hey, it's Nancy. Before we begin today, I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to
0:05.7	Crime Beat early and add free on Amazon Music included with Prime. The following episode contains disturbing descriptions of child abuse and sexual violence
0:20.0	and may not be suitable for everyone.
0:22.0	It also contains coarse language, adult themes, and content of a violent and disturbing nature.
0:27.0	Listener discretion is advised. Think about how people come into your life. Some are through family or friends and some are the people you work
0:45.2	with and come to care about and connect with. In covering crime for nearly 25 years
0:51.3	I've met a lot of amazing people and shared so many of their stories.
0:57.0	Those people impact me and I keep in touch with most of them.
1:01.5	Then there are the connections that go much deeper. I'm sure you have
1:06.4	them. The ones that you can't put your finger on but the bond is just there. It's
1:11.8	hard to explain how it happens. This is one of those stories.
1:17.0	Well, years and years you've been taking care of my mental health, even though it's only been over the phone or over Facebook message
1:25.6	just having someone to talk to when I'm feeling all stressed and everything else
1:32.4	like it's it's feeling all stress and everything else. It's been life saving.
1:36.0	I'm Nancy Hicks, a crime reporter for global news.
1:43.4	Today, on Crime Beat, I'll tell you about a little boy who was abandoned
1:49.1	by the very people who were supposed to show him unconditional love.
1:55.0	Just seems like a missed out on a lot that most kids usually get.
1:58.0	It put me right into straight alcohol and drug. It's like ruined any chances that I thought I had of
2:08.7	going somewhere in life. I didn't try in school I just only did enough to pass. I couldn't cope.
2:15.0	This is the story of a boy who was looking for something that every child should have,
2:22.0	love, and a safe place to call home. Nearly three decades ago in the fall of 1990, Gary Prokopition and his wife Julie became
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Curiouscast, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Curiouscast and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.