Joan Van Eyll not only survived severe child abuse but she triumphed over it. Today she focuses her efforts towards helping others in her company Hearts of healing. She is an ordained Minister, certified Special Olympics coach and she’s active in many domestic violence and abuse organizations.
Joan described her childhood, “I dealt with physical, emotional, mental and sexual abuse. During times of my mother’s insanity she would unleash her fury on me and my siblings. I had belts, knives or whatever else she would grab at a moments notice used on me as weapons. My mother would not stop until she tired out, or I passed out from the pain.”
She continued, “One of her most cruel and lasting remarks that at times still haunt me today is how she would scream at me that I was mentally retarded.
My father drank quite a bit and he would frighten us by chasing us and pull our hair. Many times we would wake up to my mom crying out for help and as my father knocked her around, the four of us would pile on top of her to protect her from our father’s drunken wrath.”
Joan was beat by her father and also coped through sexual abuse by her uncle.
She shared how she coped, “The bond between my siblings and I was very strong. We protected each other every chance we got and always comforted one another. All of us had a sense of humor, and no matter what was transpiring we made each other laugh. My belief in angels and a higher power gave me my hope for a better way of life and a way out.”
Joan also credits her belief in the goodness of mankind for her success in overcoming such a traumatic upbringing.
She described how she is giving back, “I’m taking from my intense pain and sadness and assisting others so they know there is a much better way of life waiting for them to recognize and embrace. That we all have a choice and if you believe that there is much more then what you may have been taught you can move from that place of tragedy and see the true gifts that can be born from them.”
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