Keeping Laughter Alive

Growing up in an abusive, violent household gave Marie the determination to break the cycle of abuse that haunted her family for generations. She vowed her children would be raised in a secure, loving home. When the handsome, intelligent, talented Jeff Fator asked her to marry him, she believed her dream for a better life was coming true. Marie quickly set about creating a happy home for the family she had long dreamed of having. It wasn't long, however, before Marie realized that what...
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Growing up in an abusive, violent household gave Marie the determination to break the cycle of abuse that haunted her family for generations. She vowed her children would be raised in a secure, loving home. When the handsome, intelligent, talented Jeff Fator asked her to marry him, she believed her dream for a better life was coming true. Marie quickly set about creating a happy home for the family she had long dreamed of having. It wasn't long, however, before Marie realized that what you see is not necessarily what you get. Too naïve to understand how the childhood abuse she and Jeff had both endured would affect their lives, Marie's dream for a better life gradually turned into a nightmare as Jeff slowly became an abusive, manipulative, fanatical religious tyrant who ruled his family with an iron fist. After thirty years, Marie finally gained the courage to leave. But freedom came at a great price. Marie was ostracized from her family for six long years. Marie and her children eventually reunited and were together when her son, Terry Fator, won America's Got Talent in 2007. In Keeping Laughter Alive, Marie beautifully explains how an abusive childhood, coupled with fear and false religious teachings, caused her to become apathetic about the abuse she and her children endured. Marie's story will make you laugh. It will make you cry. Ultimately, it will make you marvel at the strength Marie showed to overcome adversity that would break most people. Join Marie on her journey of self-realization and triumph over her past as she shines a bright light into the dark world of abuse and proves there is life and laughter beyond a painful past.