Sequence of Events – Lee-ann Wilber

UPDATE: Saturday, June 5th at approximately 9:30 pm, Eastern time, Lee-ann Wilber passed away .

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His watch has ended.

The confusion, misinformation, speculation, hushed inferences, and no harm/no foul regurgitations compel me to set the record straight. The tipping point came when a woman in Pawtucket, Rhode Island emailed me she was Lee-ann’s sister (which I found out she was not) and scolded me for being so abusive and inconsiderate of the family. I will not give her name, though certain parties can figure it out. Neither will I credit nor give names of the sources I’m using as some people are unnecessarily offended when names are cited with expressed remarks.

My sole intention here is to stop those traveling on the pebbled pathway leading them away from facts and left to trip over themselves. (I know this because I fell upon that pathway myself.) I also want to ensure my readers – who never knew Lee-ann or even been to Fall River but are Borden case devotees – to get the correct information.

So let us begin.

On Thursday May 27th, Escrow closed on the sale of the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast to Lance Zaal, aka U.S. Ghost Adventures.

On Thursday, May 27th, Lee-ann was found unresponsive in her home and was taken to the hospital. She had a life threatening condition that caused massive internal bleeding. Due to the bleeding and other medical conditions, she was placed in a medically induced coma for treatment.

On Friday night, May 28th, She had two procedures to correct the bleed but her blood counts were declining.

On Saturday, May 29th, Lee-ann’s mother was informed Lee-ann started having brain seizures. Some of her blood levels were at toxic levels. Dialysis would be needed to help flush out the toxins.

On Sunday, May 30th, She was taken for CT scans which showed swelling of the brain.

On Tuesday, June 1st, Lee-ann was taken off the ventilator and given an IV drip of morphine to ensure she had no pain.

On Tuesday, June 1st in the early evening, Shelley Dziedzic posted on her blog, Warps and Wefts that Lee-ann had died. Immediately, that information was shared on Facebook with dozens who knew her who exchanged hundreds of posts and private messages on their own FB pages, blogs and websites.

On Tuesday June 1st at 6:46 pm, Stefani Koorey posted a lengthy remembrance of Lee-ann, written almost like an obituary,

On Tuesday, June 1st at 6:45 pm Pacific Time, I received an email from Stefani Koorey: “I thought you should know that Lee Ann passed away tonight. Very sad and tragic news.”

On Tuesday, June 1st at approximately 8:30 pm Eastern Time, Shelley took off her post without any further word. Stefani reported this on her Facebook page, chastising Shelley for the shock and confusion she caused. I did the same on my Facebook page, calling it a Giant Klusterphuck.

On Tuesday, June 2, Shelley posted on her Warps and Wefts blog that: “Last night, I had received incorrect information from two sources, one being from the hospital where she is in the ICU. It was an honest error and I am sorry to have caused anyone pain”.

Social media, particularly Facebook and specifically in private messages, continued to run rampant with pleas for prayers for Lee-ann’s recovery, citations of how strong she was and would pull through, a continuation of false information and speculation. I myself have received over 550 combined emails and PM’s.

There is nothing that can be done at this point. She will not recover. She will not wake up. She will not survive. She remains in a coma. As a close friend said, “We are on Lee-ann time.”

For those that pray, pray for her family. Consider a GoFundMe page to help with her hospital bills, if not a donation to the Faxxon Animal Shelter as Shelley has suggested.

As for me, I want to see a permanent plaque and image of her appropriately placed at The Lizzie Borden House for all future visitors to see. Those that visited before need to remember, – and those that come for the first time need to know – that the heart, soul, and true spirit of the historic and iconic place they stand belongs to Lee-ann Wilber.