A NOTE FROM ROBERT SANCHEZ TO BROWNSVILLE COMMUNITY

By Robert Sanchez
By now, through newspaper reports and social media, you have doubtless heard about the impending divorce between me and my spouse Lorrie.
Unfortunately, the accounts that I have seen have been misleading, inaccurate, or otherwise inflated to discredit our character and otherwise paint us in the most unfavorable light. This has hurt both of us, and most importantly, our four precious children.
Such is social media and as a person who has sought political office or held positions on municipal boards, I am aware that my expectations of privacy have been diminished.
Nonetheless, since I am a public person, I feel I must address some of these issues and clarify the situation.
Until October 16, when I was served with Lorrie's petition for divorce – and she, subsequently, was served with my counter divorce petition – life had been just like that of any normal couple and young family. We had differences, discussions, and as time went on, severe, and now irreconcilable, differences.
I am not proud to say that both of us have broken our marriage vows and engaged in a spiraling tit-for-tat that hasn't been conducive to a healthy family environment. And, as a gleeful local blogger, has stated, both of us throughout that time consumed illegal substances like rock stars. That didn't help either. Rather than dey it and impede the road to recovery, I have learned that it is better to face the facts square on.
But that was then. Since then, reality has set in and both of us have been court ordered to submit to drug testing. It has been a blessing in disguise, and I am proud to tell you that the results will show that I have been clean and sober and registered negative in all subsequent analysis. (Click on graphics to see the proof.)
Both of us have also had to undergo mental and psychological evaluations overseen by a Court Amicus Gabriella Garcia. I have already had mine done and my former spouse still has to comply with that order.
As is usually the case in this matters, the only ones profiting from this ordeal have been the lawyers and the court system. Everything, it seems, has a cost. Legal fees for both of us will total more than $70,000. My mate's first lawyer cut and ran when he was not paid his $5,000 fee as did her second one who racked up close to $30,000. I don't even want to think what her third lawyer will charge her and if he expects it will be easy to get paid. In my case, I will not divulge the cost other than to say that my longtime friend Ernesto Gamez and his talented lawyer daughter Erin have extended every kind consideration and I am much appreciative and grateful to have such a fine team of advocates on my behalf.
This holiday season was painful to me as I was prevented from seeing my children due to a fabricated incident involving my former father-in-law Joe V. Garza. Since then, the situation surrounding that incident has been explained and I can honestly say that I did not assault anyone or committed any criminal acts. As in most divorces, sometimes people from the outside intruding into the private matters of a couple only make things worse. The photo at right was taken when I was driving my mother to her house, which is only one property removed from my residence. When we passed by, my ex-father-in-law signalled his contempt for my mom and me by throwing us the finger. The thug sitting next to him also yelled out to us that he knew where I lived and that he could find me. We didn't even know the man and felt threatened by his statements.
We sail though life through fair weather and storms and somehow manage to come out at the other end a little bit older and, hopefully, a little bit wiser.
I am deeply appreciative of the kind words and support that have been extended to me by longtime friends and family. This is one of the reasons I have always loved Brownsville and chose to make it my home. I can only ask that you take what is written about us with a grain of salt. Some people, especially social media, like to use the tragedy of others to to awe and titillate their readers regardless of who it hurts. The separation of our family is painful and excruciating enough to those of us involved in it without having to see fanciful tales spread around social media by some purveyors of gossip who seek to spread their misery.
I pray to God that Lorrie will find peace and pray for our children and ask Him to touch the hearts of my former in-laws that they, too, will see beyond themselves and extend their love to their grandchildren.
And I ask for your prayers that we can survive this ordeal and emerge better persons who will continue contributing to the progress and prosperity of our community. God bless all of you.