HUDSON, Fla. — About five years ago, Gabrielle Oliver received a text message from her friend Mandy Fackler asking for help.
Oliver owns a ride service company, and Fackler wanted to help a woman who was trying to escape an abusive relationship.
Fackler had already paid for the woman's plane ticket so she could leave and return home. She then reached out to Oliver to help to drive her.
“She knew her, so she paid for her plane ticket to leave, to get home, and sent me, which is what I did,” Oliver said.
That memory has taken on new meaning for Oliver following Fackler's death.
Fackler, a Pasco County mother of two, was killed last week by her ex-boyfriend, a Pinellas County Sheriff's deputy. Investigators say the man then died by suicide.
The tragedy has sparked an outpouring of support for Fackler's family and inspired people who knew her to find ways to help others facing domestic violence.
Oliver says hearing about Fackler's death brought her to tears as she thought about her friend and Fackler's two daughters.
“Her girls, her. Her life. She was meant for so much more,” Oliver said.
Now, Oliver is working to turn Fackler's legacy of helping others into a program designed to help women reach safety.
She is starting A Promise to Mandy Facklerl. The goal is to connect women experiencing domestic violence with emergency shelters and, when possible, provide them with free rides to those shelters.
Oliver hopes to eventually expand the effort statewide.
Oliver says she believes Fackler's influence is still guiding the effort.
“I had this little voice in my head pop, Mandy’s Safe Ride, which has now turned into what it is going to be,” Oliver said. “And I definitely believe God heard my thought process on this and said no, no girl, we got something better planned. And I definitely believe Mandy was a part of this and is a part of this.”
Oliver is also working with Nikki Hamilton, a domestic violence survivor who founded A Promise Kept Foundation.
Hamilton says Fackler's story is already encouraging other victims to seek help.
“There’s victims reaching out to her that are trying to escape because Mandy’s story encouraged them to ask for help,” Hamilton said.
A memorial for Fackler is scheduled for Thursday in Oviedo. Her friend Kristen Anetrini is traveling from Arizona to attend.
“I’m completely still in shock. It’s been a complete roller coaster. It still feels completely surreal,” she said.
But Anetrini says she has found some comfort in seeing how Fackler's story is motivating people who never knew her to help others.
“The hearts and souls of these women who want to do well because they were so touched by Mandy without knowing her but just seeing the outpouring, seeing on social media everything is making these people step up and do things,” Anetrini said.
For more information about A Promise to Mandy Fackler go to:
For more information about A Promise Kept Foundation, click here.
Share Your Story with Erik
For more than 15 years, Erik Waxler has called Pasco County home. He’s dedicated to helping his neighbors from New Port Richey to Dade City solve problems and celebrating those who help others. Share your ideas and tips with Erik below.
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