When It All Began
In February 2016, LeeMichael McLean and Bryan Furze received a magazine subscription that came under a fake homophobic name. Confused, the couple decided to just ignore it. They had no idea that this was not the end of it.
When It All Began
Horrible Invasion
LeeMichael McLean described the mail as horribly intrusive. He said that the mail they received felt like “an insidious way for a harasser to get inside your house.” He did not know who was sending this mail, but he knew how it made him felt.
Horrible Invasion
Throwback To Hard Times
McLean told USA Today: “It brought me back to being a little kid and getting teased for my voice or my appearance. We were being picked on because we were gay, and it had followed me into my 40’s. I couldn’t believe it.”
Throwback To Hard Times
Longtime Hatred
McLean could not believe that even in his 40’s, he was facing hatred simply for who he is. While none of this was new to him, it still hurt deeply. Nobody should have to get used to this kind of treatment, regardless of who they are.
Longtime Hatred
Nonstop Harassment
Over the next 5 years, McLean and Furze received about 30 pieces of mail sent to their Massachusetts home, all with homophobic names on the address. They had no idea who could possibly be behind all of this hateful mail, and they were desperate to make it stop.
Nonstop Harassment
They Got Support
Through all of this, McLean and Furze were supported by their community, who helped with the efforts of trying to figure out who was behind this hateful behavior. However, it took the use of handwriting analysis to solve the mystery.
They Got Support
What If It Escalated?
While the mail was incredibly unpleasant to deal with, Furze was more worried about the hate mail escalating into something worse, and perhaps physically violent. Things were getting really scary, and they knew something had to be done about it.
What If It Escalated?
Fearing For Their Son
Not only were the couple troubled about being harassed themselves, they were even more concerned about their son. They were terrified that he would learn to read the harassment himself, and they were concerned about his safety.
Fearing For Their Son
Affecting Daily Life
The couple tried best they could to continue on with their lives and not let the hate mail affect them, but it became scary just to check the mail. They were even afraid of just being in their home. Could you imagine not feeling safe to be who you are in your own home?
Affecting Daily Life
Always Worried
Furze explained that they tried their best to move past it, but it was not easy. He said: “It was something that was always in the back of our minds, but we had no control over it. So we had to tolerate it and live on.”
Always Worried
Reporting The Mail
The couple decided to go to the police and report the hate mail and harassment. Although they said the officers took their allegations very seriously, there also was not much that could be done as there were absolutely no clues to figure out who was a suspect.
Reporting The Mail
Look Around You
The couple consulted with several law enforcement professionals who said that told them that in these cases, the perpetrator is often someone who is visible from their house. The couple became confused, as all of their neighbors were so nice. They couldn’t believe that any one of them could be the culprit.
Look Around You
Suddenly Suspicious
McLean shared that: “For five years, we were living here and wondering which of our neighbors, who were all being kind and neighborly to us, is actually harassing us.” It was hard to look at all the friendly faces surrounding them, wondering who could possibly be behind the hateful mail behind the smile.
Suddenly Suspicious
An Incriminating Mistake
The couple began to think that this was a lost cause when one day, it became clear that the culprit a fateful mistake. The suspect signed the couple up for a Boston Globe subscription. However, what the perpetrator didn’t know was that the couple already had a subscription.
An Incriminating Mistake
The Order Was Sent Back
The Boston Globe sent back the order request, which was made under the name “Michelle Fruitzey.” All of a sudden, McLean made an incredible realization. The order request was hand written, meaning the perpetrator finally gave them a piece of evidence to help figure out their identity.
The Order Was Sent Back
Bringing It In
McLean decided to take the handwriting sample straight to the police. He gave a statement, and described in detail the years of harassment that he and his family had faced.
Bringing It In
The Toll It Took
After going through this hateful harassment for five years and finally giving a statement with evidence, McLean realized just how much of a toll this whole ordeal had taken on him. He had internalized so much anxiety and stress, and it was finally hitting him all at once.
The Toll It Took
Leaving The Station
As he left the station, McClean found himself feeling worse. He shared: “I walked out of there feeling like a foot shorter because I had so much weight on me. It was horrible. I was anxious, depressed. Having to recount those details was incredibly painful.”
Leaving The Station
Asking The Hivemind
McLean decided to recruit members of the community to help in their search of the perpetrator as well. He posted the handwriting sample on their local Facebook group, asking if anyone could help identify suspects.
Asking The Hivemind
A Shocked Community
McLean and Furze’s community were shocked and appalled by the language that had been hurled at the couple. The homophobic language was so disturbing that the neighbors decided to create a hashtag, #IamMichelleFruitzey, which immediately began trending.
A Shocked Community
Pleasantly Surprised
As the hashtag began to go viral, neighbors and locals began to help in the search for the bigot. McLean shared that “We didn’t realize we’d get love and support and cheers from every corner of town, from people we’d never met to close friends and neighbors.”
Pleasantly Surprised
Looking For A Match
The community truly rallied around the couple and were devoted to helping them find the perpetrator. One community member was searching through town election records, comparing them to the handwriting sample.
Looking For A Match
Finding A Clue
As the community member was scouring through the records, they came upon a bit of writing that looked like it could be a match. The community member brought this handwriting sample in, and it was confirmed that it was a match.
Finding A Clue
Arresting Them
A suspect was brought in and arrested on May 13th, 2021, according to McLean. While being questioned, the suspect admitted to sending the mail but didn’t understand why the police had to get involved. The suspect called the mail a prank, not a hate crime.
Arresting Them
The Reasoning
After being questioned, the suspect admitted to the detective that he sent the subscriptions with the homophobic names because he didn’t like that McLean and Furze were outspoken. He didn’t like how they voted, and that was a big deal because they were both Town Meeting members.
The Reasoning
Graveness of The Situation
Although the suspect tried to downplay his actions, the couple were fully aware of the seriousness of what he was trying to do. Fruze said: “This person was intimidating and trying to silence us.”
Graveness Of The Situation
Criminal Complaint
While Milton Police chief James O’Neil did not share the identities of the suspect of the victims, he confirmed that the department filed a criminal complaint that seeks to charge the adult male with criminal harassment.
Criminal Complaint
A Shocking Revelation
The couple shared that the suspect had always been friendly towards them and never displayed any outward hostility their way. It was truly shocking that someone could hide such a deep level of hate from the public while sending cowardly hate mail at the same time.
A Shocking Revelation
A Progressive Town
The couple chose to live in their town because it is known for being progressive. Sadly, it reiterated to them that discrimination exists everywhere, and can come in unexpected places and forms, even through mail in a progressive small town.
A Progressive Town
Sneaky Hate
Furze shared: “Most people in our area are incredibly supportive, but you can never really be too careful because there are people who are willing to inflict harm in a way that’s invisible.”
Sneaky Hate
Able To Keep Him Away
The couple’s greatest concern was how this would impact their son. Now 7 years old, he is a bit older and can better understand the situation. However, when the news broke, they chose to tell him that one of their neighbors had not acted kindly towards them.
Able To Keep Him Away
Hard To Answer Why
McLean said that: “There’s no question that it bothers him because every couple days he’ll ask more questions about why. And how do you answer that ‘Why?’ There’s no good explanation except that we are who we are.”
Hard To Answer Why
Facing Reality
Furze shared that their son is and always has been proud to have two fathers. However, he shared that their son “[i]s finally seeing that some people don’t see his dads the same way he does.” The harsh reality is a tough lesson for their son.
Facing Reality
The Aftermath
After the suspect was found, McLean shared that he battled with anger, anxiety, and depression. He decided to see a therapist in order to work through his negative feelings. His therapist told him that he should try to find a positive outlet to let his feelings out.
The Aftermath
Lemons To Lemonade
McLean and Furze decided to take the situation back into their own hands. They made T-shirts that said #IAmMichelleFruitzey to sell and decided to donate the proceeds to Gay Straight Alliances groups at the local schools nearby.
Lemons To Lemonade
A Success
T-shirts have already been sold to people in Massachusetts, California, Texas, and Virginia. The first 150 were quickly shipped out, and the couple raised $22,000 in no time. They were truly making the most out of this horrible situation they were put in.
A Success
Owning Michelle Fruitzey
Furze shared: “We wanted to take something that was really tough and use it as a way to support and empower young people. We want to turn Michelle Fruitzey into a superstar and allow her to spread the message that bullying, in all its forms, is not OK.”
Owning Michelle Fruitzey
Showing Resilience
McLean and Furze could have let this hateful perpetrator drive them out of their own town. However, they did the opposite: they stood their ground and finally got some justice. They used his hateful message to help spread positivity and teach the world that bullying should not and will not be tolerated.
Showing Resilience
Encouraging Others
Furze said that he hopes their story will help others like them, as well as their son, stand up to those who think they can bully marginalized people. He also hopes to spread awareness that there are hateful people in every community, no matter how progressive.
Encouraging Others
Need To Be Aware
Furze shared: “They are among us, and we need to be vigilant to protect our children, our peers and each other.” The Trevor Project has a 24 hour hotline for LGBTQ+ teens who need help if you or someone you know needs to reach out: 866-488-7386.
Need To Be Aware