Karen Killilea

[FergieTCat]

I've been rereading two of my favorite childhood books -- "Karen" and "With Love From Karen". Someone else out there must have read them too. Thanks to the Internet, I found out what happened to the family and thought I'd share:

Marie Killilea passed away in 1991 from "respiratory ailments" (I've read she had lung cancer) at the age of 80, and Jimmy passed away a few years later.

Karen, Marie, Rory and Kristin are all still with us. I think Karen must be in her 60's by now.

Gloria and Russ both passed away in late 2001/early 2002 (sniff!) They must have been married a very long time, at least 50 years (how nice!)

Hopefully, someone else will know what I'm talking about ...

 

[lil mermaid]

Wow...that sounds so familiar. I can't remember though...what was "Karen" about?? Jog my memory, please!

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

Karen was bron with a neuromuscular disease -- CP I think -- in the days before we knew much about disabilities and rehabilitative medicine. her mother wrote two books about Karen's life.

 

[FergieTCat]

Karen was born premature with celebral palsy. Her mother wrote 2 books about her life and the families life. I read them once every so often because the books are very well written.

The books are still in print -- Karen was originally published in 1952, so it's been in print continuously for 50 years. Wow!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Yes, I know both of those books extremely well, as well as "Wren" (the children's version of "Karen"). Years ago (about 18), my DH and I drove past Sursum Corda (their house) in Larchmont, NY. Actually, we sat outside in the car and could see people in the house...DH wanted me to go up and ring the doorbell, but I figured they were entitled to their privacy (and I was chicken).

A couple of years ago, I found a discussion board and got into a HUGE "discussion" because someone posted there with VERY PRIVATE information about the family, that was acquired in such a manner as to outrage me and a couple of other people who posted. I ended up leaving the board.

Where did you get the info about Glo and Russ? I remember reading on that board that Glo's name was omitted from one of the parents' obituaries, and people were speculating why.

FTC, I'm going to send you a PM.

 

[JLH1959]

Yes, I know both of those books extremely well, as well as "Wren" (the children's version of "Karen"). Years ago (about 18), my DH and I drove past Sursum Corda (their house) in Larchmont, NY. Actually, we sat outside in the car and could see people in the house...DH wanted me to go up and ring the doorbell, but I figured they were entitled to their privacy (and I was chicken).

A couple of years ago, I found a discussion board and got into a HUGE "discussion" because someone posted there with VERY PRIVATE information about the family, that was acquired in such a manner as to outrage me and a couple of other people who posted. I ended up leaving the board.

Where did you get the info about Glo and Russ? I remember reading on that board that Glo's name was omitted from one of the parents' obituaries, and people were speculating why.

FTC, I'm going to send you a PM.

I remember reading the posts - done in serial form - from a user who knew Gloria because they'd worked together and another (or was it the same woman?) who crashed Gloria's funeral and then approached Marie & Karen (and maybe Rory). Like you I was disgusted - at both set of postings.
If I remember correctly, the woman who approached the family at the funeral took her own life.

I left shortly after those posts were made when I pretty much got a "shut up, she did nothing wrong" after I commented how appalled I was that she crashed a funeral so she could meet Karen. It was completely creepy to me.

 

[tabby1881]

I loved those books.

I also think that I saw that discussion group that you mention. I never posted there. I wondered if that woman of whom you speak made up her stories, as someone would post details/stories of Gloria and that woman would just agree with them. I'm not sure if this makes sense, but her posts didn't seem right to me.

I loved the dogs in the books, too. Every time I see a Newf, I think of Karen's dogs

 

[bushdianee]

I read those books so many times as a child and teen. I would check them out of the library as often as I could. I recognized the name as soon as I saw the title of this thread. Are the books still in print?

 

[Disneylover99]

I loved those books.

Me too. I did book reports on those books many moons ago when I was in grade six.

 

[minkydog]

I read those books when I was in late elementary school. I was fascinated by the description of this child with CP and her marvelous parents. It wasn't easy to raise a child with such severe disabilities in that day. Not like today when they are guaranteed the right to public education and therapies provided by the school. They didn't have support groups and all the specialists that families have now.

I'm sure their life was an uphill battle in a lot of ways, but the books were so uplifting. They really peaked my interest in persons with disabilities. Little did I know that I would have own disabled child! I now work with mostly adults who have developmental disabilities, such as Down syndrome and autism. I can honestly say that the "Karen" books started me on the long road to this career.

 

[emer95]

I loved those books! I read and re-read them when I was in middle school. I always wondered what happened to the family. Amazing people!

 

[Schmeck]

I read them back in the 70's - as a young girl. I'd reread them now, but I thought the mother was some sort of religious zealot?

 

[SirDuff]

I read them back in the 70's - as a young girl. I'd reread them now, but I thought the mother was some sort of religious zealot?

I read (and re-read) both those books.

It's been a while, but my memory is that Marie (and the family) were devoutly religious (Catholic, if I recall), but I don't recall her being a "zealot". I suppose, though, that the line between "devout" and "zealot" isn't in the same place for everyone.

 

[SarahWeasley]

I read the first Karen book when I was a kid, after finding it in a used bookstore. I don't remember it that well, but I know I found it very inspiring. Not sure if I ever read the second book.

 

[DVCLiz]

Both favorites from middle school and I've read them many times over the years.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So, just for informational purposes - the last post in this thread before yesterday is more than 11 years old .

 

[SirDuff]

So, just for informational purposes - the last post in this thread before yesterday is more than 11 years old .

Got caught again! Didn't even notice.

 

[gwynne]

So, just for informational purposes - the last post in this thread before yesterday is more than 11 years old .

yep. And post #6 (zombie thread bumper) is a 1st post.

 

[ronandannette]

yep. And post #6 (zombie thread bumper) is a 1st post.

We've been through this over and over, people. When somebody is googling topics of interest to them very often DIS threads on that subject will be among the results. A non-member who is interested in the discussion will then join so they can take part, possibly not recognizing that the thread is very old.

 

[leebee]

I read both "Karen" and "From Karen With Love" several times, as I have a sister born in 1966 (3 months prematurely) who has cerebral palsy. My parents were also advised to institutionalize my sister, and, like Karen's parents they refused. I remember teaching my sister to walk with crutches and climb stairs, just like in the books. Of course, the "experts" were wrong about institutionalizing my sister, who graduated magna cum laude from Loyola and now is married, lives in the New Orleans suburbs, and works for the archdiocese of New Orleans- just as they were wrong about institutionalizing Karen.

I did some brief internet searching and came up with this:
http://mentalfloss.com/article/19740/killilea-family-where-are-they-now
At the time I read the Karen books, they were very inspiring to me, and of course touched my heart as they were so close to home for me. I haven't thought about the Killilea family for years so was interested in this update. It seems that there are Karen fans here, so thought I'd share this information.