Danny Croteau's Sister
My high school classmate Cat (sister of the beloved Danny) is an inspiration during times of trouble.
The latest episode of Unholy Fathers is much different than the previous 11, thanks to the calming presence of my pal Cat, who is the youngest sister of Danny Croteau (pictured above) the 13-year-old altar boy murdered by then-Rev. Richard Lavigne in April 1972, under a bridge on the banks of the Chicopee River in western Massachusetts.
(For those who are new here, Danny’s murder was one of the reasons for my multi-year investigation of the child molesting Catholic priests of Springfield.)
The interview for this episode was recorded during the summer of 2019. To say I’m thankful to Cat for her time, words and wisdom is an understatement. Cat is a strong and resilient woman, haunted by the murder of her brother, but she demonstrates the ability to deal with the depression and sadness with an amazing attitude we can all learn from.
Cat and her family experienced unimaginable pain and suffering because of the violent acts of Lavigne, an evil man who pretended to be their family friend and confidant. And, as we hear from Cat, the murder destroyed her family. Even worse is the longterm impact the tragedy had on her siblings and parents. The lingering cloud of grief — felt by Cat and her loved ones — is inescapable and forevermore.
Earlier this week, while re-listening to the interview prior to re-publishing, I was moved to tears multiple times by Cat’s story and the way she tries to “deal” with the immeasurable sadness and pain from the loss of her beloved brother Danny.
And I felt anger, too, because Richard Lavigne lived longer than many of his victims and their families. I was furious on behalf of the victims and because of the trickledown effect on their loved ones. That son-of-a-bitch went unpunished, never to serve a day in prison for killing Danny or for molesting scores of other boys.
But mostly, while listening to Cat, I felt awe, reveling in the presence of a strong and powerful human, resilient and brave, cursed by a savage horror, but able to move forward with dignity and aplomb. Despite the sorrow and fury.
Cat is an inspiration. For all of us. Especially in these uncertain days, as more tragedy undoubtedly looms during this dark and dangerous winter. Perhaps, if we follow her example, we can somehow see grace, beauty and love, despite the chaos and misery unfolding around us.