What began it all

So a little about my past:
On Thanksgiving Day in 1994 I went from having a somewhat normal life with my little brother and mother, to losing everything I had ever known. So let’s take a step back from that date for a second. My mom was a hard working woman. She had left my abusive father and was working as much as she could to keep a roof over our heads. We moved often after my little brother was born because my father would always find us somehow. She protected us. Even if that meant her getting hurt.
This photo was taken a few days before Thanksgiving 1994:

So back to Thanksgiving Day in 1994. My mom, brother, Aunt Missy (my mom’s sister), Aunt Missy’s son Daniel, and I headed to West Virginia to see my Pap-Pap (my mom’s Dad) and other family members. We gathered at a cute little cottage. I still remember exactly how the place looked. Vis