Initial Victim Impact Statement Gert Boyle Portland, Oregon March 25, 2011 Hello, my name is Gert Boyle and I am the Chairman of Columbia Sportswear Company. I was a victim of kidnapping, assault, robbery, and many other criminal offenses, which occurred at my home in West Linn, Oregon. My attorney Steven Ungar has asked me to outline, generally, how my life has been impacted by these horrible crimes. I intend to submit a more detailed statement before the sentencing of any defendants who plead guilty or are found guilty by Judge or jury. Our advertising campaign over the years at Columbia has portrayed me as “One Tough Mother,” but that is all just advertising, and it doesn’t tell the whole story, in real life, not accurately. I am an 87 year-old grandmother who has lived in the West Linn community for over 57 years. The nature of the crimes that were committed against me is well known, so far, only from the media perspective. This is unfortunate, as I’ve been portrayed as a hero and someone who has made light — even humor — out of these terrible crimes I am not a hero, I don’t feel like a hero, and I want to make it very clear to the Judge, the lawyers involved in this case, and the people of Oregon — I am not a hero. I am a victim, just like the many other victims of vicious crimes that terrorize and damage people permanently every day around the country. The events of November 10, 2010, have profoundly and forever changed me and my life. In the moment the horrific events that took place that night, I said some things that Page 1 – Initial Victim Impact Statement the media found humorous and newsworthy. Unfortunately, these kinds of comments are one way that I cope with stress, but they do not mean that I was not deeply traumatized. For me, sometimes, it is easier to rely on humor than cope with the stressful reality facing me. In my experience, I have found that many people do just that. My survival instincts have always been to avoid pity and to force myself to “just get over it” when bad things happen. This instinct is a defense mechanism that leads me to use verbal sparring to shield me from dealing directly with difficult situations. No words now are adequate to reverse the memories of that night or give me my treasured and ordinary life back. Yes, I am the Chairman of a large company — one which my family and I built from the ground up. But that doesn’t mean I’m not essentially an ordinary person at my stage of life. Before the attack, in countless ways, every day, I enjoyed the simple routines of life – going to the grocery store, having lunch with friends, enjoying my independence and the comfort of my home. Since that night, I have not returned to my home of nearly 24 years except to gather my belongings. I don’t feel safe living alone, and I no longer am able to enjoy the simple freedoms of everyday life. At age 87, being forced out of my home and community and changing the comfort of daily habits is horribly disruptive and depressing, as many in my routine circle of contacts are lost. In addition, I now do not feel safe driving alone and have given up driving altogether. I have lost my freedom and independence — something that has always defined me. My ability to make decisions on my own has been diminished, and my dependence on others has grown for everything from transportation to scheduling to housing, which is in part owing to the fact that this event has also made me hesitant and insecure about interactions Page 2 – Initial Victim Impact Statement with people not well known to me. This has never been me. These criminals maliciously altered my life, and I am just sick about it every day. Yes, I’m angry, too. As a result, these events have upturned not only my life, but the lives of my immediate family as they cope both with their own concerns about me and their own safety, and the responsibility of looking after me and my needs. Finally, these events have caused me to scale back my role both at Columbia and in the community. In response to my own reluctance and upon the advice of security consultants, I have nearly eliminated personal appearances, travel, public speaking engagements, and I have generally avoided public relations events. Many of these events now require special arrangements, and sometimes I just can’t bear making those arrangements. I am deeply saddened by this diminished role and accessibility. Some may wonder why an event that was reported to last only “minutes” in the paper could have such a deeply profound effect on Columbia’s “One Tough Mother.” Although many want to focus on the things I did right that night – and I am thankful for operating alarm systems – few have heard the indignities I suffered that night. I share these things to give you a better sense of what I will live with for the rest of my life. This was a violent encounter. • During the attack, he repeatedly shoved me into the wall, against the car and onto the ground, shouting “don’t look at me”. I recently had my second hip replacement surgery, and I feared I would not be able to get up. Page 3 – Initial Victim Impact Statement • He reached around my face and shoved a necktie in my mouth, injuring the inside of my mouth. He violently grabbed my face and mouth in an attempt to shut me up, injuring my lips and face while shouting at me. • He held something on the back of my neck, which I soon realized was a gun, and tied my hands behind my back with a rope. It had loops around my wrist, and another piece that he held on to – like a control string. • He shoved me to the garage floor ground face first. • I was so afraid for my life, I wet my pants out of fear. • He told me that he had people waiting outside to help him. I thought they were going to kill me. • Once inside the house, he demanded we go to my bedroom, and he continued pushing me and forced me at gunpoint upstairs to my bedroom where he ordered me to take off my clothes. • He told me that if the security people come – not to tell them he was there or he would shoot me. He said, “I promise you, I’ll shoot you!” I believed him. • He shouted constantly at me, demanding my jewelry, my safe, and ordering and shoving me in the house – all while yanking on the “control string” to keep me from going in front of windows in my house. • When the doorbell rang and the police knocked, we were still in the bedroom, and he indicated that if I told the “security guard” he was there, he’d shoot me and kill me. I ran to the front door to save my own life because I thought I would not survive if I did not. Page 4 – Initial Victim Impact Statement These events, even if occurring within a relatively short time frame, have forever changed my life. Although I will “get on with it,” I will do so after losing my home, my routines, my independence, my professional accessibility, my dignity, and my pride in control of my own destiny. Sincerely, ________________________________ Date: ______________ Gert Boyle Page 5 – Initial Victim Impact Statement .