I had been studying forgiveness probably for about seven or eight years. In fact, I had just

completed writing a book about it and sent it off to the publisher.

And it was a New Year's morning and I received a call from my brother who lived in Knoxville, Tennessee and he was shaken. That's Everett Worthington. He's a couple's counselor, a psychologist and Professor Emeritusitus who researches forgiveness at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

His own ability to forgive was put to the ultimate test when he received that call from his brother.

He said something terrible has happened.

You know, mom has been murdered and you need to contact, you know, our sister who also lived in in Richmond and you all come down.

In 1996 Everett's mother was killed during a home invasion in his childhood home in Knoxville, Tennessee.

His life and his siblings' lives were forever changed, but within hours, amidst his grief, he came to a realization.

So I remember I just was in a rage and I was walking round and round the bed at my relatives

house that I was spending the night at and I finally about three o'clock in the

morning decided I needed to do something more productive.

So I sat down to write a eulogy for my mother and as I thought about this woman who had poured her life into her

three children I suddenly realized that here I was a forgiveness researcher who studied forgiveness, a clinician who helped people forgive,

and a Christian who believed in practiced forgiveness, and yet I had not allowed myself to even think that word all day.

Everett made the decision to forgive the person who killed his mother, just 24 hours after her death.

Everett said he can't explain exactly how he got there so quickly,

but he's certain the experience actually helped him refine his life's purpose.

That murder resulted in a lot of positive changes in my life.

It solidified my belief that forgiveness can change lives.

I formulated my life mission statement which is to do all I can to promote

forgiveness in every willing heart home and homeland.

What happened to Everett and his family is heartbreaking,

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