The Girl with the Caterpillar Eyebrows

Lisa Ditchkoff explains her life in hiding for 27 years, enduring physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as well as her ties to the Irish Boston Mafia in "Southie." She grew up in fear of her father, an alleged "mobster" and legendary Boston Garden record-holding fastest knockout boxer. Memories of Lisa’s father were shadowy ones, but she remembered him as generous in his love toward her.

Lisa Ditchkoff explains her life in hiding for 27 years, enduring physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as well as her ties to the Irish Boston Mafia in "Southie." She grew up in fear of her father, an alleged "mobster" and legendary Boston Garden record-holding fastest knockout boxer. Memories of Lisa’s father were shadowy ones, but she remembered him as generous in his love toward her. Her only memory was of her father saying, "You’re so beautiful," just before her mother escaped during the middle of the night in a telephone truck during Boston’s record snowfall in 1978. Lisa also remembers hearing the name, “Whitey Bulger,” and the delivery of black roses to her doorstep. Forced to be a survivor in this world, and regardless of extraordinary obstacles, she refused to be the victim. In addition to searching for love and becoming a mother at a very young age, she slipped through the cracks in regard to education and other things. Lisa shares the intimate details of her life having undergone violence, which nearly took her life. The Girl with the Caterpillar Eyebrows is more than just a compilation of heartbreaking tragedies, lessons learned, and words of encouragement to others facing extraordinary obstacles. It’s also a story of never giving up hope no matter how difficult any situation, including the domino effect on business failures and difficulties due to the 2008 economic downturn and since.

I was born on August 1, 1973 in the “Southie” neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. From the moment I was born, I was forced to be a survivor and a fighter in this world. Only four years later, I was thrust into the escape that molded my future. “You’re so beautiful,” were the three words that triggered any memory of my father, Tommy Connors, alleged member of the Irish South Boston Mafia. I didn’t understand this for years to come, but my mother left Southie with my two brothers and me during the middle of the biggest snowstorm in history in attempts to escape from him. I grew up quickly, in more ways than one. In addition to searching for love becoming a mother at a very young age, I also slipped through the cracks in regard to education; I was completely illiterate for years. I’ve undergone sexual, emotional, and physical abuse which nearly took my life. Following the death of my brother, I made the decision to track down the very person whom my family feared in Southie, my father, as an attempt to help my mother overcome fears that paralyzed her daily. I not only succeeded at connecting with my father, but my mother and father are best friends today. Realizing how short life is, I started my first business in 2003 at the age of 30. Today, I am the proud owner of the Event Center Downtown (www.eventcenterdowntown.com), in the heart of Opelika, Alabama’s historic downtown. I have two young adult sons. “The Girl with the Caterpillar Eyebrows” is more than just a memoir of my life. It’s more than just a compilation of heartbreaking tragedies, lessons learned, and words of encouragement to others facing extraordinary obstacles. It’s also a story of never giving up hope no matter how difficult any situation including the domino effect on business failures and difficulties due to the 2008 economic downturn and since. I think it is important, especially more so today, to tell my story because I believe so many have given up hope, and hope is what builds a country. Hope is something that I will never stop believing in. Hope to provide inspiration is my purpose for sharing my story.