Timeline: December 2004
In December 2004, an unfortunate tragedy took place in Stephanie’s life. Right before her big break, Steph’s mother was gunned down in a local New York bank. Even after this day, the suspect who committed the assault have not been located. Raw footage from the cameras of the local bank, show two men getting out a black ducati motorcycle, one shooting with a unregistered firearm and the other in watch. The suspects fled off the scene and were never located. FBI is still going under investigation and no other evidence has been found. A funeral took place Christmas eve, in 2004. Steph’s mother was put to rest in the New York City Marble Cemetery.
Emmanuel Rios (
Steph's Father): I’ve never really talked about this with anyone other than Steph, Jennifer and the rest of the family. But, my wife’s passing was something that changed my life forever. I mean obviously. But it changed who I was as a man, it changed who I was as a father, it changed who I was as a human being period. Now looking at myself.... Till this day…I have no logical understanding of it. Why would someone do this to an innocent person? Is what I ask myself every day. Just…why?
These times……where really just hard times for Steph, Jennifer and I. We’ve dealt with many personal things..... the teasing, the Latino accent issues, racism, the bullying Steph faced, but that….….that was nothing and isn’t even close to comparison. This was a tragedy in our lives. And yet while we have recuperated over the years,this is something that’s scarred for life. Many people tell me, that it’s time to move on. But you just can’t move on from something like this…..it’s impossible. It’s not fair.
We all miss her…not just me. Stephanie was just emotionally very close to her mother. I think by Steph losing her, the whole family broke apart and we became rebellious….even towards each other. We really lost the meaning of family at one point in time. I myself, hurt Steph various times. The music thing was our only way to vent. But while it was great distraction from the misery, I got so caught up in it, I think that’s what made Steph distant from me. I wanted her to become more like her mother and I didn’t really allow her to become her own individual. I think that’s what drove Steph to make her own music and live up to her new acclaimed name, which she dedicated her mother. In the end, I always wanted the best for her, but I did it wrong. I never meant to hurt her and I keep messing up.
But on a positive note, we always called Stephanie “Miss Fierce”
(giggles softly). People see it as a joke, bu we don't. It always reminds me of her mother, who made it very clear that she was never going to make it in the industy. We never meant it in the fashion sense though, which is what people tend to think the word is from (laughs) I called her that because I always saw the strength in her as a person. I remember after my wife passed, Steph and I were arguing one night about her going to college and that’s when Steph actually took it to the next level and changed her last name to “Fierce” as a way to not only rebel against me, but really show that she will continue her music. Right in that moment despite her removing my last name and all, I realized that there wasn’t a better noun.
(TBC)
Edited by user 12 June 2011 21:28:57(UTC)
| Reason: Not specified
