Jessica Willis Fisher - Unspeakable: Surviving My Childhood and Finding My Voice

This remarkable story told by a more remarkable survivor, artist, daughter and wife is a must read. It will inspire and challenge you to look deeper than the surface of seemingly fairy tale stories to find the true hero. In these times as we recognize with compassion all the trauma girls endure, lets also celebrate the wonder of the women they have become.

REV. DR. BECCA STEVENS FOUNDER OF THISTLE FARMS

Jessica Willis Fisher has many identities in the world of entertainment. Her incredible gifts have touched millions of people over a career that started when she was very young. Having had the honor of meeting her on many occasions, I feel its important to add to her list of qualities. Jessica is a survivor. Her life and the unspeakable events she endured will be a source of great hope for those, like her, who have endured too much.

SCOTT HAMILTON CANCER ACTIVIST, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST

Unspeakable is simultaneously devastating and inspiring. Jessica Willis Fishers story shines the spotlight on the cruelty and abuse that lies hidden in unimaginable places. The courage she found to reach beyond the stranglehold of everything that she knew to save herself is a miracle. The truth she found set her family free.

AMY GRANT SINGER/SONGWRITER, PHILANTHROPIST

Jessicas gifting as a storyteller is on full display in Unspeakable. Her inspiring journey drives home the innate power in sharing our stories while opening the door for more survivors to do the same. She boldly reminds us that pursuing emotional wellness is not about fixing whats wrong with us but about rediscovering and living into all that is right with us. Her courageous decision to reclaim her voice and advocate for herself and others is beyond inspiring.

MILES ADCOX CHAIRMAN AND OWNER OF ONSITE WELLNESS GROUP, FOUNDER OF MILESTONES TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE OAKS

Unspeakable

2022 Jessica Willis Fisher

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by W Publishing, an imprint of Thomas Nelson.

Thomas Nelson titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version). Copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version. Public domain.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Any internet addresses, phone numbers, or company or product information printed in this book are offered as a resource and are not intended in any way to be or to imply an endorsement by Thomas Nelson, nor does Thomas Nelson vouch for the existence, content, or services of these sites, phone numbers, companies, or products beyond the life of this book.

This is a work of nonfiction. The events and experiences detailed herein are all true and have been faithfully rendered as the author has remembered them, to the best of her ability. Some names, identities, and circumstances have been changed in order to protect the integrity and/or anonymity of the various individuals involved.

Though conversations come from the authors keen recollection of them, they are not written to represent word-for-word documentation; rather, she has retold them in a way that evokes the real feeling and meaning of what was said, in keeping with the true essence of the mood and spirit of the event.

Lyrics for Gone are used by permission of Jessica Willis Fisher and Bard Craft Publishing.

Lyrics for My History are used by permission of Jessica Willis Fisher and Bard Craft Publishing.

ISBN 978-1-4003-3290-8 (HC)

ISBN 978-1-4003-3294-6 (TP)

ISBN 978-1-4003-3295-3 (eBook)

ISBN 978-1-4003-3296-0 (audiobook)

Epub Edition September 2022 9781400332953

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022930215

Printed in the United States of America

22 23 24 25 26 LSC 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Information about External Hyperlinks in this ebook

Please note that the endnotes in this ebook may contain hyperlinks to external websites as part of bibliographic citations. These hyperlinks have not been activated by the publisher, who cannot verify the accuracy of these links beyond the date of publication

For all the other invisible girls and boys

Contents

I HAD MANY PERSONAL REASONS I WROTE THIS BOOK. THERE ARE equally as many reasons I decided to publish it, but here are a few:

1. To clear the record so I can live honestly and move forward with authenticity, integrity, and courage in my life.

2. To stop the curse and break the spell, bringing an end to the power of shame and silence that allowed abuse to continue unchecked for so long.

3. To change the worldto do my part in helping us better understand how abuse happens so we can work together to stop it, prevent it, and more effectively support survivors.

This book is not fictionalized, and great care has been taken to be as accurate as possible in all areas. No details or events have been disguised except a few names that have been omitted or changed for privacy, including Peyton, Mark, Donal, Maria, Jonathan, the Martins, Christian, and Audrey.

THIS STORY CONTAINS NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF EMOTIONAL, physical, and sexual abuse. I didnt get the chance to choose a different life experience. You get the choice of whether to read about it. Reading about these topics may be overwhelming and distressing, especially for fellow survivors with unprocessed trauma. Thank you to those who do not look away, but please be kind and careful with yourself. Following is a list of the most intense and detailed passages and their page numbers, though many other graphic references appear throughout.

: intense sexual abuse of a child

: intense sexual abuse of a teen

: intense physical violence toward an adult

A list of resources and support communities is available at www.rainn.org and ncadv.org among many others. Please reach out for professional help if you or someone you know is struggling or is in a life-threatening situation.

JULY 11, 2017

WE DRIVE IN SILENCE WITH THE AC ON BLAST, FIGHTING THE inevitable heat of a black car under the strength of a rising summer sun. As we near our destination, my husband, Sean, presses my sweating hand into his larger one. Only sixty days before, wed fed each other cake while I wore white.

Are you doing okay? he asks. I can barely nod.