Gaines Shares Her Story
Continued from Page 1
And, she has moonlighted as a
commentator on the National
Public Radio news program “All
Things Considered.”
Before achieving success,
however, Gaines endured a
seemingly incomparable amount
of personal suffering and pain.
During her junior year of high
school, Gaines’ former
boyfriend, Ben, introduced her to
heroin and she began to abuse
the drug regularly.
By the time graduation rolled
around, she was trying desper
ately to conceal her unwanted
pregnancy from her parents who
were overjoyed that she was
graduating.
Shortly after receiving her
diploma, Gaines was convicted
of intent to deliver heroin and
was sentenced to five years in a
North Carolina prison.
While serving her sentence,
Gaines said she constantly
thought about how she had dis
appointed her parents, both of
whom have
since died. Sitting in the jail cell point, Patrice
and thinking about it
addiction, she WSS POt going to confidence was
yearned to remedy the situation. shattered > and
restore their , she heavily
once healthy ' knew that I needed tO contemplated
relationship. Change personally. going back to
“Sitting in _ p a f r j r „ Gainnc using heroin,
the jail cell r'airiCe IjameS Even though
and thinking they have
about it was not going to remedy passed away, her parents’ legacy
the situation,” Gaines said, “I still greatly impacts her daily
knew that I needed to change life.
personally.”
After being released from jail,
Gaines started taking general
courses in typing and shorthand
at a local institute. A friend
referred her to a journalism pro
gram offered at the University of
California at Berkeley.
She decided to apply and was
accepted immediately. Gaines
said that her acceptance was pri
marily based a chilling essay that
she had written about her trou
bled past to the department.
“The experience healed me
and in turn, I learned how to help
others become healed spiritual
ly,” Gaines recalled.
The college offered a newspa
per placement program and she
was granted a position as a
research writer at the Miami
News in 1978.
She worked for that publica
tion until 1981 when she trans
ferred to the now-defunct
Washington Star. In 1985,
Gaines moved across town and
became a staff writer at the Post.
Despite her apparent success,
life as an ex-convict would soon
make matters worse for Gaines
in her new job.
In 1988, she along with sever
al other reporters, filed a lawsuit
against the newspaper demand
ing higher salaries.
Before the trial, lawyers inter
viewed each person about their
employment history. Gaines,
who had failed to indicate on her
employment application that she
is an ex-convict, feared being
fired.
Post management soon
learned that she had lied. Gaines
was certain that her career at the
Post was over.
“The incident really made me
think ‘who am I’ and that’s when
I discovered my real sense of
identity,” she said.
According to Gaines, manag
ing editor Ben Bradlee decided
to keep her on staff because he
said “she was so damn talented.”
“My father is still a silent part
ner. Hardly can I forget the val
ues he instilled in me and the
confidence he bestowed upon
me,” she said, as she recalled
sharing a Sunday morning break
fast with her father three months
before his untimely death.
Today, along with her lecture
tour, Gaines is busy completing a
third book on a D.C. murder trial
that will debut next month.
In the future, she hopes to do
some painting and mixed media
art work. She said that her per
sonal experiences have enabled
her to help others become
stronger people.
“As human beings, we are
imbued with incredible abilities
and talents that are unmatched.
We are capable of doing incredi
ble things. Success begins when
you believe that it can happen to
you and you work toward it.”
CAMPUS POLICE REPORT
By Matthew McKeown
Capital Times Editor
March 11, 2000
12:08 a.m.: Observed suspicious
vehicle parked on grass by the
ballfield.
6:02 a.m.: Assisted Lower
Swatara P.D. with a traffic stop
on campus at First Street.
2:00 p.m.: Officer visited local
elementary school for workshop
entitled: “Obeying the law is
fun.”
10:59 p.m.: Provided security
for the Harrisburg Horizons bas
ketball game in the CUB.
March 12, 2000
2:30 a.m.: There was an argu
ment involving a male and a
female at a Weaver Avenue resi
dence. No arrests were made.
March 13, 2000
11:26 a.m.: An employee was
struck on the shoulder by a pole
being lifted with a backhoe. The
employee was transported to
Hershey Medical Center.
7:20 p.m.: A report of a domes
tic dispute at a residence on
Jones Street. Issac Miller of
Harrisburg was charged with
harassment. A victim rights
form was given.
March 14, 2000
11:55 a.m.: A vehicle parked in
the entrance to the loading dock
at the library. A ticket was
issued.
2:15 p.m.: There was a report of
students stuck in the elevator in
the library. Upon arrival, the
students had crawled out. The
power was shut off and the con
tractor was contacted.
2:40 p.m.: An employee's hand
was cut on a plaster wall wire. The
injury was cleaned and bandaged.
3 p.m.: The police bike was
picked up from In-Gear in
Hummelstown. There was no
charge for the service.
3:30 p.m.: Report of uncon
scious man clad only in Batman
costume in Olmsted basement.
Suspect taken into custody.
March 15, 2000
3:22 p.m.: A report of a group of
smokers at the front entrance of
the Olmsted Building. They were
gone on arrival,
3:50 p.m.: Disbursed a group of
smokers from the front steps of
the Olmsted Building. A verbal
warning was given.
4:10 p.m.: Disbursed two juve
niles who were skateboarding at
the CUB. A verbal warning was
March 16, 2000
6:44 a.m.: A citation was given
for a moving violation on
College Avenue.
9:25 a.m.: A staff member was
stuck in the elevator in the
library. Responded to find the
situation was resolved. The ele
vator mechanics were in the area
and they were notified of the
problem.
7:33 p.m.: Disbursed a group of
Hessians in front of the Olmsted
Building. A verbal warning was
given.
11:44 p.m.: Received a report of
loud music and people yelling on
Nelson Drive. Contacted resi
dents, the music was turned off
and a warning was given.
March 17, 2000
9:30 a.m.: Police vehicle waxed.
Two coats applied.
10:44 a.m.: Issued a citation for a
moving violation on College
Avenue.
12:01 p.m.: Received a report of
rollerbladers jumping the steps at
the CUB. They were gone on
arrival.
12:34 p.m.: Disbursed a group of
smokers at the Olmsted
Building. A verbal warning was
1:40 p.m.: Received a report of a
student with a dislocated knee at
the athletic field. The student
was transported to the hospital.
March 18, 2000
6:30 p.m.: PSU police services
provided security for the board
of trustees who were meeting at
the Hershey Medical Center.
6:35 p.m.: Received a report of
a missing juvenile who ran
away after an argument on
Kirkland Avenue.
March 19, 2000
1 a.m.: Received a call that the
runaway juvenile returned
home.
1:40 a.m.: Marmot found in
trap outside EAB. Marmot
destroyed.
6 p.m.: Received a request to
assist Highspire P.D. with dis
orderly persons on Willow
Street. The situation was
cleared without incident.
11:30 p.m.: Received a report
of two students entering E 334
Olmsted Building. Their IDs
were verified and the students
were removed from the area.
March 20, 2000
12:40 p.m.: Received a report
of a suspicious person who fol
lowed a student at the libraiy.
Student confronted; no prob
lems.
March 21, 2000
2:15 p.m.: Received a report of
a vehicle driving in mud.
Found two vehicles stuck in
mud on Jones Street.
March 22, 2000
6:55 a.m.: Received a report
from an employee who found a
crack in the employees wind
shield. Not sure if damage
incurred while on university
premises.
8:00 a.m.: Assisted Cl A in pur
suit of futurisitic killer-robot
spotted behind the Swatara
Building.
10:30 a.m.: Received a report
of a minor, non-reportable acci
dent on College Avenue. The
drivers exchanged information.
1:25 p.m.: Received a report of
a suspicious white male in a
green coat who approached fac
ulty in their rooms in the
Olmsted Building in order to
buy books. He was gone on
arrival.
8:51 p.m.: A tractor-trailer
attempted to turn around at the
intersection of University and
Alumni and caused damage to
the landscaping. The driver’s
information was obtained.