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The Beginning
February 25, 2013: Debbie & Phil Wilson were awakened by a late night phone call. A police officer told them their daughter, 31 year old Elizabeth Rose, had been fatally wounded in a murder/suicide in the Buffalo New York area, where she lived and worked.
Elizabeth had been in a relationship with Peter, a handsome Marine. Their relationship seemed perfect at first, but slowly began to change. He became controlling, demanding, stalked her and made her feel like she was going crazy. He would tell Elizabeth not to bother calling the police because he was friends with all of them and would make sure there was no record of complaints. Elizabeth stated there was never any physical violence, but the constant verbal/emotional abuse took it’s toll and she broke off the relationship. She tried to distance herself, but Peter would come begging and things would calm down … for a while. Elizabeth’s Bible study group offered support and was a solace, as she was preparing to quietly move out of state. Peter ended Elizabeth’s life before she could leave.
In her grief, Debbie began a women’s Bible study to help her heal, supported by other women of faith. At one of these meetings, came the idea of “reaching out” to women victims of domestic violence. Debbie, with 2-3 others, began visiting a Domestic Violence Shelter to share Elizabeth’s story and encourage women not to return to their abuser. Requests for household goods soon enabled them to furnish entire apartments with donated items. Out of these experiences, Elizabeth Rose Ministry was born. In 2017, ERM was officially classified as a Charitable Organization by the IRS.
A Dr. visit revealed Debbie had stage 4 breast cancer, but she continued to visit the shelter to tell Elizabeth’s story. Debbie underwent treatment & fought until January 14, 2020 when she entered Heaven to be reunited with Elizabeth. Elizabeth Rose Ministry carries on Debbie’s passion for helping women impacted by domestic violence.
Poem by
Elizabeth Rose Wilson
There is so much focus today on acceptance and being a part of a couple. One important simple fact should be recognized by all women of God everywhere, if you have accepted Christ into your heart-then you already have the perfect man! And he loves you!
John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay his life down for his friends”.
Debbie Wilson
By Debbie Wilson
My Daughter's Story
My husband and I married a week after high graduation and had two boys in the first three years and a baby girl six years later. We inherited the family farm and brought our children up to love Jesus, work hard, to be loving and kind. Before you knew it they were through college and on their own. Our boys married Christian girls and have blessed us with eight grandchildren. Our daughter, Elizabeth, got a job in Niagara Falls bought a house there. She had just gotten over a very hurtful relationship when she met Peter. A soldier returning from his third deployment. He swept her off her feet with compliments, praise, gifts, flowers, quality time and dinner on the table. She ate it up. They were planning to marry once he completed his criminal justice degree. After a couple of years Peter began to change, he became critical and controlling. Elizabeth felt on edge all the time. No matter what she did, it was wrong. He’d yell and scream at her, making her feel like everything was her fault. She felt like she was going crazy!! She gave her life back to God and realized Peter was not the man for her. She broke up with him. He promised to change and wouldn’t leave her alone. Gift on doorsteps or at work. Apologies galore. Stalking her. She finally decided she’d have to move to get away. She put her house on the market and started looking for houses an hour away. Peter was irate! Elizabeth never felt in physical danger, he never hit her, he just tore her apart emotionally and mentally.
Monday, February 25, 2013 was a good day for Elizabeth. She found out she got a house loan approved. She received a 4.0 on a graphic design class but it wasn’t a good day for Peter, he tried texting her, calling her, emailing her, getting through the switchboard to talk to her, he was very upset about something. She stopped at her girlfriend’s house on the way home from work and told him how upset Peter had acted all day. Her girlfriend and her girlfriend’s husband both said if he’s at your house, drive right on by and meet us at Dunkin’ Donuts. Elizabeth also called a girlfriend so they would be on the phone when she got home so that if he showed up, she’d be talking on the phone and could ignore Peter. When she got home Peter wasn’t there, she got into the house was greeted by her dogs. Pretty soon Peter was at her back door banging, banging, banging wanting to talk to her she told him that they didn’t need to talk about anything! He said,”you have to a least let me see the dog”. She said: “fine”. She let the dog out, Peter pushed his way into the house. He slit her throat, ear to ear and stabbed her 27 times. Went across the road to his parents house, got a gun and then killed himself.
Elizabeth did not deserve this and neither do you. You are created in God’s image. Psalm 139:14 States that you are fearfully wonderfully made. God loves you unconditionally!
Our ladies is Bible study decided to take his awful tragedy and make something good from it. Elizabeth Rose Ministry was born! Our desire is, after you have escaped and gotten an apartment of your own we furnish it from donations we receive. We desire for you to come to know Jesus as your personal savior and friend.