Out of the Ashes We Rise - Part I

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Summary: Parenting children with special needs is an incredibly difficult task. The dilemmas families encounter often require gut-retching choices which can leave even the best of families scarred for life.  Yet springing up from the ashes of such heartache, a powerful message of divine restoration can be realized by those willing to receive divine instruction.

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Paul Keller terrorized Seattle during the 1990’s with a series of baffling arsons. During late 1992 and early 1993, Keller set fire to more than 100 structures resulting in the death of three people and causing more than $35 million in property damage.[1] He was responsible for the most extensive, expensive and terrifying arson spree in the history of this country.[2]

According to psychiatric experts, Paul was “‘a perfect clinical picture of ADHD’ – impulsive, aggressive, distractible, restless, angry, socially awkward, and out of control.  He was intelligent, yet an academic failure with low self-esteem and a low tolerance for stress. But Keller also had a learning disability, conduct disorder, and a ‘narcissistic’ personality disorder, which many experts felt may have been related to ADHD and a birth trauma.”[3]

Experts consider Paul Keller a particularly troubling example of the estimated one-third of ADHD kids whose impulsive, uncontrolled and defiant behaviors make them susceptible to criminal activities.[4] Given his ADHD, his ongoing fascination with the fire service, his alcoholism, and many other challenges, Paul was doomed to be a serial arsonist.

Raising a child with ADHD was like a living hell for the Keller family day in and day out. “It was chronic pandemonium,” his mother once told reporters. “Paul just did not seem to have the ability to learn from past mistakes and did not understand the consequences.”[5]

Paul started his first fire in an abandoned home at the age of eight. Being fascinated with fire, he befriended local firefighters. At twelve, he was forced at gunpoint to perform sexual acts with a volunteer firefighter he had come to trust. The abuse lasted for two years.[6]

At age twenty-eight, following his divorce and the loss of his job, Paul began an arson spree, unlike anything local firefighters had ever seen. Paul set fire to churches, stores, houses, and other structures in four Washington state counties.[7] He struck in the early morning hours after the bars closed, often setting a series of fires just to watch firefighters struggle to deal with several fires at once. In 1993, Paul torched the Four Freedoms Retirement home in North Seattle, resulting in the death of three elderly residents.[8]

The arson spree became national news but authorities remained stumped. “America’s Most Wanted” broadcast a TV segment about the crimes hoping to generate leads.  A task force of investigators from 27 different local, state, and federal agencies was formed exclusively to find the arsonist. Investigators released a profile of the criminal which Paul’s father recognized.[9]

George and Margaret Keller then faced one of the most difficult moral dilemmas any parent could possibly face. George made his decision then confronted his son. Early the morning of February 6, 1993, Keller Sr. spent more than five hours listening to his son’s confession then agonized as he drove his son past the sites of the various fires while Paul described his criminal actions.[10] Compelled by conscious, George contacted the arson task force and provided details about his son’s activities giving authorities the break in the case they needed. Paul Keller was arrested eight days later.

In 1993, Paul was sentenced to 99 years at Clallam Bay Corrections Center in Walla Walla, WA, a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane. Authorities believe Paul is linked to dozens of other fires and arson deaths which he has yet to confess to. Paul will spend the rest of his life in prison. To this day, he still does not understand why he is behind bars.[11]

When news of Paul’s arrest hit the newsstands, the Keller’s lives became like a modern-day version of the biblical “Job” story. Over the next two years, the Kellers literally lost everything: a lucrative advertising business, an impressive financial portfolio, a country club mansion, and stellar reputations within the community. They suffered physical and mental health problems. Following Paul’s conviction for the fire that gutted the Lutheran Trinity Church, the Keller’s home church for years, the family was asked to leave. Even local businesses at that time refused to provide basic services to the family.

Given such a public trial, the nation was hungry for the inside scoop. Brian Halquist Productions, Inc. produced an award-winning documentary entitled, “Portrait of a Serial Arsonist: The Paul Keller Story.” The show aired on Seattle’s NBC affiliate, KING-TV. Even NBC’s “Dateline” did a segment on the Keller family.[12] Halquist later obtained the story rights and co-produced the CBS movie, “Not Our Son” airing on January 31, 1995.[13]

In the midst of indescribable suffering, God was working among His people. On January 23, 1995, out of the ashes of a tragedy caused by his own son, George Keller was asked to be the guest of honor at the dedication of a brand new $4.1 million Lutheran Trinity Church. Mr. Keller wept as he recounted being overwhelmed with sorrow and pain as he learned his son had destroyed the old church building where the family had worshipped.

Addressing those assembled for the dedication, George said, “Even though I cry today, I have great joy. You people are wonderful. You are a shining inspiration. The congregation’s ability to stay together through difficult times and its commitment to rebuild this church serves as an inspiration to many other victims of my son, Paul, and his terrible arson spree. Thanks for the extraordinary love and compassion you have shown to me, my family and my son. God bless this church."[14]

Please see “Out of the Ashes We Rise – Part II” for the rest of this remarkable story.

If you have or know of someone who has an ADHD child, please visit these sites for information and support:

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/parenting_challenges/adhd/how_to_help_an_adhd_child.aspx

For information on “Coming to terms with a special needs child” click here. http://christianadhd.com/parent1.php

For additional information on Paul Keller’s story click here:

http://www.johnmcleanmedia.com/items/DOC/5550porserar.html

For information on the Keller's current ministry activities, visit "George Keller Ministries" on Facebook. 

References

[1] http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattle911/archives/184880.asp

[2]  http://www.johnmcleanmedia.com/items/DOC/5550porserar.html

[3]  http://www.seattlepi.com/archives/1994/9407250020.asp

[4]  Ibid

[5]  Ibid

[6]  Ibid

[7]  http://www.seattlepi.com/local/306097_arson05.html

[8]  Ibid

[9]  http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattle911/archives/184880.asp

[10] http://www.seattlepi.com/archives/1995/9501230020.asp 

[11] http://www.seattlepi.com/local/306097_arson05.html

[12] http://www.halquistproductions.com/about.html

[13] http://www.moviemaker.com/directing/article/not_our_son_3132/

[14] http://www.seattlepi.com/archives/1995/9501230020.asp

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