12/27/2009 @ 02:57:18 PM - Ryan - Hello, My name is Ryan . I'm 19 years old and live in Pasco County Florida. My father is a retired cop and currently works at a local bar. Christmas Eve my mother and I were watching a movie and she explained to me that a friend from the bar is going to be attending our family Christmas dinner at my grandparents house in Homassasa. I ask who this gentlemen was and she said his name is Jeremy and from Ireland. I immediately questioned why some random person was invited to our dinner. She responded that his family lives in Ireland and he has no one else here for Christmas. In the past, years ago, my family is known for opening our doors to help people in need up in Massachusetts during the holidays. My mother decided to remind me of that. I agreed that he should come with us especially if hes Irish.( I am from Irish Decent myself). That night my parents came home from dinner, there was a bear of a guy behind them. I myself am 6'3 260 pounds, so even to me he was big. He immediately came over to me, shook my hand and gave me a great big hug. Me, never meeting this guy, thought it was kind of strange. He began chatting my ear off with his strong Irish accent telling me about how he was in the special forces and all of his re-con. When ever I would say "wow, really? that's neat" he would immediately respond with, "I WOULDN'T LIE TA YALAD" in his Irish accent. I thought that was also strange. He always made sure he told me he wasn't lying. He then told me he carried a weapon at his house. Me going into Law Enforcement and being kind of a weapon enthusiast I asked him what kind of weapon. He responded with a "Glock 1911". ANY persons who claims to know their weapons, especially being in the "Irish Special Forces" knows there's no such thing as a Glock 1911. I let him know my stance on weapons and told him there was no such thing, and maybe he was referring to the Kimber or Colt 1911. He denied and looked at me strangely and said he knew it was a Glock for sure. I brushed that off thinking he just had to much to drink. I went inside to get another round for him. While walking out I hear my mother say "no don't do that, that means something to you" and "Jerry" replied in a chocked up voice, "No I want to, I want the Lad to be safe" Wondering what was going on I went outside with his beer and he was standing up facing me with tears in his eyes. He was holding a necklace in his hands, a medallion of St. Christopher, the one he was wearing when I met him. He started to choke up even more telling me sum bullshit story of how he received that necklace from his dying father and how its been in war with him. Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, All of Europe. I started to get emotional myself. He wanted me to be safe in my career and told me that it kept him safe during his re-cons. That was( what I thought) the greatest gift anyone has ever given me. I showed of that necklace to all my buddies and told them the great stories of how I received it from a full blooded Irish man right off the boat of Ireland and how he was in the Special forces. How he saved a little girl and how his dying father gave it to him. I don't know why but for some reason, I trusted this guy. He told me some story that he was in a "Times" article for saving the French ambassadors daughter or something. Anyways we were up most of Christmas eve talking and watching one of his favorite movies (other then the Boondock Saints) "snatch". He was still up when I went to bed. Christmas morning I got up and Jerry was up already with my father watching T.V. I lent him some shorts and some deodorant and he drove with me for the 45 mins (as requested by him) and talked about nothing but my career and how he hates living where he live. My parents offered to take him in seeing as we have an extra bedroom and he offered 200 dollars a week for rent. Things weren't adding up. The more I talk to this guy the more I grew weary of him. Still every time I felt that necklace I felt sure he was trustworthy. We got to my grandparents and they had gotten him a gift to make him feel at home. It was Irish Whiskey. We ate and I had to head back south for another dinner at my buddies. While leaving he shook my hand, gave me a hug and told me that he loved me. This wasn't the first time hes done that. I shook it off and went to my buddies, again showing off the best gift I have received from a true hero. Christmas night he wanted to go out but didn't have any money, so my father gave him 40 bucks. he didn't come home that night but showed up the next morning. That day I had to go to work. While at work I decided to do some research on our new friend. Trying to find his Times article, I remembered his last name from one of his stories. So I typed in "Jeremy Rose" there was a few articles on some hockey player but then I seen your "Jeremy Rose Con Man" article. I immediately clicked it. I was devastated but not surprised. Knowing that my parents were alone with this psycho I called them right away. Jerry answered. I asked for my dad, he said he wasn't there but my mother was I asked to speak with her and he asked me if everything was alright. I said ya everything's cool just need to know whats for dinner. My mom gets the phone and I tell her to walk away from everyone and don't say anything just to walk away. I told her about the article and who he is. She wasn't surprised either. She said my dad went to go get Pizza with his buddy cause they where over his house. Knowing my mom was alone with this guy I asked if she wanted me to come over there. She declined saying my dads friends wife was home. Shes a cop. Finally my dad calls me back, I let him know everything. Again he wasn't surprised. He told me he would take care of it and he'll call me back. Hours went by and I was ending my shift at work when my dad finally called. He brought Jerry back to the bar. My father including 5 of his friends, confronted Jerry. Jerry was embarrassed, didn't have anything to say and quickly walked away shouting profanities. My dad got home I got off my shift and we all talked about what had happened. I told my dad he needed to call anyone he knew that Jerry might be going after next. My father contacted the women that Jerry was staying with. She said he stopped by after the altercation, pissed off, cold and completely sober. My dad explained everything to her and she explained to my dad that she is disabled and lent him $700 dollars. He explained that she was never going to see that money and to file a police report. I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your postings about that piece of shit. Pardon my language. As soon as I read it, I ripped that necklace of my neck and tossed it to the side. I plan on contacting my local media so no one else gets scammed or hurt emotionally like you did. I apologize for the length of this Email and appreciate if you took the time to read it. Feel free to contact me with any information that you need. I will also be leaving this as a comment on one of your articles so if anyone thinks that you might just be trying to get back at our friend Jerry. We lent this guy our Home, gave him a bed to sleep in, food to eat, stuff to drink, clothes to wear, a shower but even more, our Trust. If it wasn't for your articles and my curiosity, he could still have been feeding us with his lies. |
