Star Community Newspapers
By Stephanie Flemmons, Staff writer
Friday, March 20, 2009
Every day, Akemi Rhea prays for the man who killed her son.
But every day is a struggle dealing with the unsolved case and recognizing the murderer is still at large.
“I had to forgive him,” Rhea said. “I want to meet him and encourage him to turn himself in. I’ve been praying for him and his family ever since my son died.”
Rhea’s son, Adrain Porier, was fatally stabbed 12 times in May of 2008. The man who witnesses saw fleeing the scene of the crime was identified as David Martin Ruiz.
Plano detectives are continuing to search for his whereabouts and believe Ruiz could possibly reside in the Phoenix area.
In memory of her son, Rhea, her husband Bill and their nine adopted children are moving to Cambodia in April to fulfill a vision Adrain had for many years. She said they plan to build an orphanage and protect the children Adrain loved.
Rhea said Adrain was the family’s inspiration to adopt children in poverty stricken environments.
“Just get as many as you can,” were the words Adrain repeated to his family anytime there was doubt about adopting more.
In 2001, Rhea was encouraged by a church friend to adopt children. Once Adrain learned of the idea, she said he was the most excited of her four boys.
After all the adoption paperwork was complete, the Rheas were approved for two children.
“We first wanted two older children,” Rhea said. “We really wanted twins.”
Rhea said they picked the two children they planned to adopt and later that night the adoption agency e-mailed the name of a third child who had just been rejected from her family.
“At first we were overwhelmed,” Rhea said. “But Adrain said, ‘Mom, if you leave this little girl in Cambodia, you are leaving my little sister.’”
That year Adrain traveled to Cambodia with the family to pick up their first three adopted children. Rhea said Adrain was devastated when he saw the shape this third world country was in and just how many children were abandoned.
“He was so moved by the poverty that he wanted to sell his truck and build an orphanage,” Rhea said. “I thought it was so sweet of him to think that way.”
Just two months later the Rheas got a referral from China for another child. They agreed and brought her home and at that point Rhea said the adoption urge was over.
Two years later, Rhea said the urge returned. She contacted adoption agencies in China, but was told she had too many children. She learned she could adopt out of Africa and started researching the requirements. A friend encouraged Rhea to condense her scope and be open to adopting American children who have been rejected by their families.
“I went on a Web site and found a sibling group of four,” Rhea said. “I just fell in love with them and wanted all four of them. They were so beautiful and they looked so amazing.”
Rhea said she discussed the possible adoption with her boys and all but Adrain were opposed to the additions to the family.
“Adrain said, ‘Hey, I love what you are doing, just get as many as you can,’” Rhea said. “He was so into the other children. He was so excited for us and for the children we were adopting.”
His words inspired Rhea to go through the process and adopt the children from San Antonio. By the fall of 2003, the Rheas received one more boy and three girls.
“Adrain was very close to the boy,” Rhea said. “They would stay up all night and just talk.”
For the next five years, Rhea said Adrain was the hero of the family. She said he became a Christian and converted right before his murder.
Rhea said Adrain was the type of person who was friends with everyone and she believes the night he was murdered he was trying to calm Ruiz down from hurting any of his neighbors.
“Adrain told his roommate that David Martin Ruiz needed to be redeemed,” Rhea said. “Adrain was a gentle soul.”
Four days after Adrain’s funeral, the Rheas received a call from a girl they had mentored over a three-year period.
“She was crying and asked us to take her 7-week-old baby,” Rhea said. “Immediately, Adrain’s words came into my heart: ‘Get as many as you can,’” Rhea said.
She told the mother she had to discuss it with her husband. Rhea said she immediately pulled over into a parking lot and began to pray. She called her husband and told him about the baby.
“His immediate response was, ‘Get as many as you can, right?’” Rhea said. “I could not believe this. I just started crying.”
Jada’s adoption was finalized Nov. 13, 2008.
Because of Adrain and his death, the Rheas decided to go back to Cambodia to see if there was anything they could do with Asian Hope, a ministry to orphans in Cambodia that she discovered three days before Adrain’s death.
“Through a series of beautiful providences, we are set to move to Cambodia and work with the children in the trash dump,” Rhea said. “Hopefully it will be called the Adrain Porier Gehenna Rescue Mission.”
Rhea said she will be overseeing the dump daycare facility with her family and some workers. Meanwhile, her husband, a retired state district judge, will be working with TransformAsia as their assistant director, overseeing an orphanage on the Thai/Cambodian border which houses women and girls who have been trafficked.
Before the family makes their move to Cambodia, Rhea said she hopes to get in touch with the Ruiz family or learn of his capture.
“I tried to call Ruiz’s mother in Arizona City a few months ago,” Rhea said. “I wanted her to know that our entire family forgives him and that I really hurt for her. She is the mother of a murderer. My son was murdered.”
Contact Stephanie Flemmons at sflemmons@acnpapers.com
By Stephanie Flemmons, Staff writer
Friday, March 20, 2009
Every day, Akemi Rhea prays for the man who killed her son.
But every day is a struggle dealing with the unsolved case and recognizing the murderer is still at large.
“I had to forgive him,” Rhea said. “I want to meet him and encourage him to turn himself in. I’ve been praying for him and his family ever since my son died.”
Rhea’s son, Adrain Porier, was fatally stabbed 12 times in May of 2008. The man who witnesses saw fleeing the scene of the crime was identified as David Martin Ruiz.
Plano detectives are continuing to search for his whereabouts and believe Ruiz could possibly reside in the Phoenix area.
In memory of her son, Rhea, her husband Bill and their nine adopted children are moving to Cambodia in April to fulfill a vision Adrain had for many years. She said they plan to build an orphanage and protect the children Adrain loved.
Rhea said Adrain was the family’s inspiration to adopt children in poverty stricken environments.
“Just get as many as you can,” were the words Adrain repeated to his family anytime there was doubt about adopting more.
In 2001, Rhea was encouraged by a church friend to adopt children. Once Adrain learned of the idea, she said he was the most excited of her four boys.
After all the adoption paperwork was complete, the Rheas were approved for two children.
“We first wanted two older children,” Rhea said. “We really wanted twins.”
Rhea said they picked the two children they planned to adopt and later that night the adoption agency e-mailed the name of a third child who had just been rejected from her family.
“At first we were overwhelmed,” Rhea said. “But Adrain said, ‘Mom, if you leave this little girl in Cambodia, you are leaving my little sister.’”
That year Adrain traveled to Cambodia with the family to pick up their first three adopted children. Rhea said Adrain was devastated when he saw the shape this third world country was in and just how many children were abandoned.
“He was so moved by the poverty that he wanted to sell his truck and build an orphanage,” Rhea said. “I thought it was so sweet of him to think that way.”
Just two months later the Rheas got a referral from China for another child. They agreed and brought her home and at that point Rhea said the adoption urge was over.
Two years later, Rhea said the urge returned. She contacted adoption agencies in China, but was told she had too many children. She learned she could adopt out of Africa and started researching the requirements. A friend encouraged Rhea to condense her scope and be open to adopting American children who have been rejected by their families.
“I went on a Web site and found a sibling group of four,” Rhea said. “I just fell in love with them and wanted all four of them. They were so beautiful and they looked so amazing.”
Rhea said she discussed the possible adoption with her boys and all but Adrain were opposed to the additions to the family.
“Adrain said, ‘Hey, I love what you are doing, just get as many as you can,’” Rhea said. “He was so into the other children. He was so excited for us and for the children we were adopting.”
His words inspired Rhea to go through the process and adopt the children from San Antonio. By the fall of 2003, the Rheas received one more boy and three girls.
“Adrain was very close to the boy,” Rhea said. “They would stay up all night and just talk.”
For the next five years, Rhea said Adrain was the hero of the family. She said he became a Christian and converted right before his murder.
Rhea said Adrain was the type of person who was friends with everyone and she believes the night he was murdered he was trying to calm Ruiz down from hurting any of his neighbors.
“Adrain told his roommate that David Martin Ruiz needed to be redeemed,” Rhea said. “Adrain was a gentle soul.”
Four days after Adrain’s funeral, the Rheas received a call from a girl they had mentored over a three-year period.
“She was crying and asked us to take her 7-week-old baby,” Rhea said. “Immediately, Adrain’s words came into my heart: ‘Get as many as you can,’” Rhea said.
She told the mother she had to discuss it with her husband. Rhea said she immediately pulled over into a parking lot and began to pray. She called her husband and told him about the baby.
“His immediate response was, ‘Get as many as you can, right?’” Rhea said. “I could not believe this. I just started crying.”
Jada’s adoption was finalized Nov. 13, 2008.
Because of Adrain and his death, the Rheas decided to go back to Cambodia to see if there was anything they could do with Asian Hope, a ministry to orphans in Cambodia that she discovered three days before Adrain’s death.
“Through a series of beautiful providences, we are set to move to Cambodia and work with the children in the trash dump,” Rhea said. “Hopefully it will be called the Adrain Porier Gehenna Rescue Mission.”
Rhea said she will be overseeing the dump daycare facility with her family and some workers. Meanwhile, her husband, a retired state district judge, will be working with TransformAsia as their assistant director, overseeing an orphanage on the Thai/Cambodian border which houses women and girls who have been trafficked.
Before the family makes their move to Cambodia, Rhea said she hopes to get in touch with the Ruiz family or learn of his capture.
“I tried to call Ruiz’s mother in Arizona City a few months ago,” Rhea said. “I wanted her to know that our entire family forgives him and that I really hurt for her. She is the mother of a murderer. My son was murdered.”
Contact Stephanie Flemmons at sflemmons@acnpapers.com
4 comments:
I understand the hurt of losing a son, but Ruiz family is not to blame.
I do not blame the Ruiz family. I am praying for them and for their son. My whole family is. We serve a risen Savior who loves the very ones who crucified him. We are followers of Christ and are compelled by him to love and to forgive by his power and by his grace. Therefore, we do and will. Apart from Christ we are not able to do such things. I miss my son, but I know where he is and that Jesus is using his death for His glory. We have all been changed. Hopefully, David Ruiz and his entire family will be changed as well and live to serve the Resurrected King of Kings and Lord of Lords--the only Living and True God. This is our great hope and continued prayer. Jesus uses all things even murder for the good of those who love him and are his. I believe we have gained much through our sufferings. I have great hope and await a beautiful future.
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