Abuse Survivor’s Story of Hope, Faith and Spiritual Healing

Butterfly Stitches: The Metamorphosis of Healing by Michele Evette Vrabel

Her vulnerability and strength make this memoir an inspiring read.

Butterfly Stitches is an inspiring and extremely raw Christian memoir by Michele Evette Vrabel, in which she recounts her harrowing yet inspiring journey from an abusive childhood to healing through her faith in her King Jesus Christ.

This book bares the author’s heart and soul, taking readers through some of the darkest moments of her life while offering a message of hope, resilience, and spiritual redemption.

Vivid and Heart-Wrenching Account

Michele’s childhood was filled with violence and abuse. Born to Catholic parents in Fort Wayne, Indiana, her family moved to Lansing, Michigan, when she was just two years old. She grew up during the 60s and has two brothers, an older brother and a younger one. Her mother was gentle and loving, but her father was the opposite — physically and verbally abusive toward his wife and children. Angry shouts and constant beatings were a normal occurrence in the Vrabel household.

One of the most vivid and heart-wrenching memories she shares is from when she was just two years old. Her father brutally slapped her across the face and dragged her home from across the street. Another time, she witnessed her father “grab a shovel” and take a full swing at her grandmother’s head, “knocking her to the floor with blood spurting.” At five years old, Michele saw her father get escorted from the house by police officers for beating her mother nearly to death. Her mother required months of hospitalization and physical therapy.

Injustice for Victims of Abuse

The societal norms during Michele’s childhood provided little support for women and children in abusive situations. Women’s shelters were non-existent, and even religious institutions offered no refuge. When Michele’s mother filed for divorce, the priest of the Catholic church they belonged to kicked her and her children out. Five-year-old Michele couldn’t understand how a man of God could cruelly abandon a helpless woman for leaving her abusive husband.

After the divorce, Michele and her brothers still had to endure their father’s abuse during visits to him. Later, Michele’s mother remarried a gentle and caring man named Richard. Richard brought some hope and stability to the family. However, this new chapter introduced another form of betrayal to Michele.

Richard’s half-brother, tasked with babysitting Michele and her brothers, secretly sexually abused her for over a year. When the truth about his atrocious deeds finally came to light, the adults decided it was best if his evil deeds were forgiven and never spoken of again. And they did just that. Michele vividly recalls this injustice: “I was not asked how I felt. I was not asked if I was okay. No one even checked me out physically. There was no counselor. They decided the justice. I was not to speak of it.” I cried my eyes out after reading this heart-wrenching part.

Brutally Honest and Deeply Moving

Some themes in Butterfly Stitches are heavy, like physical violence and sexual abuse. Through her inspiring story, Vrabel addresses the pain of surviving an abusive childhood, the struggle to make sense of cruelty within the family unit, and the systemic failures of an era that offered little protection for women and children. The author also highlights the power of faith and forgiveness as tools for healing.

Vrabel’s reflections are brutally honest and deeply moving. Despite her difficult childhood, frequent moves, and a lack of close friendships, she remained determined to move past her traumatic past and build a better life. She confronts the injustices she faced with faith, courage, transparency, and unflinching honesty, recalling, “Until that day … no one came for us. There was no counseling. There was no jail time. There was no justice or fairness. We did not even talk about it. No one asked if we were okay or needed help.” 

Butterfly Stitches is a story of survival, hope and spiritual redemption. Michele’s experiences remind us that healing is possible, even from the deepest wounds, and that faith can provide a path to peace and renewed purpose. Her vulnerability and strength make this memoir an inspiring read. Readers will leave this book with a renewed appreciation for resilience and an understanding of the importance of creating a society that supports and protects its most vulnerable members.