It’s been almost three weeks since Sally Faulkner returned to Australia without her beloved children. Today, she writes an open letter about her promise to her children – and how you can help remind her children how much they are loved.
To all who cried tears with my children and felt sadness with my heart I thank you for your support.
It’s been a long road to this point. Over a year has passed since my fight began and to be honest it has been the hardest struggle of my entire life! I struggled to keep my heavy heart above my drowning tears. But one thing I want to make clear: I am not a victim and neither is their father.
As I heard those last words from our daughter and saw their innocent and trusting faces that last time, I closed my eyes at night and realise I couldn’t just shake it off.
“Mummy is it just a holiday with daddy, and we come back to you very soon?” My reply to that – “yes sweetie it’s just a fun holiday with daddy and mummy will come and bring you both home very soon.”
But what followed was hell on earth…”Mummy I want to come back but daddy won’t let me.”
Hearing my two year old boy at the time crying in the background saying "I don't want mummy to go" and my then four year old daughter begin to cry, "mummy I miss you"....The urge to throw up hit me hard in that moment like a sledge hammer to the chest.
For any parent who hears their children crying for them and not be able to hold them or fix the problem straight away it is crippling.
I knew in that moment - and I made a promise to them in that last conversation: "Mummy will find a way to bring you back to Australia, everything will be okay don't cry".
I remember her smile appear through her tears, "Okay, Mummy."