The first time I heard from Leslie was in an email several years ago during production of UNDER OUR SKIN. She said that watching the film trailer changed her life:

“You see, Andy, I had no will to live. I was so sick, with no answers and just wanted it to end. That was until I saw the trailer. You have given me so much joy….Your documentary saved my life.”

Since then, Leslie became our greatest film fan and an undying activist. I finally met her at the Iowa Lyme memorial which we covered for our film. Though she herself drove for four hours to be there, she gave our crew a hero’s welcome. Here are some video excerpts from our interview with Leslie. Her words are chilling and prophetic.

And here is Leslie as she appears in an excerpt from UNDER OUR SKIN.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVsfGvZt-LA

Later, Leslie and her sister Tracie (who also has Lyme and worked with Leslie on behalf of Lyme sufferers) sent us a picture of their take on the film’s widely-used graphic of Mandy in the pool. Leslie wrote: “Tracie and I thought that this photo represents our passion to continue to help you finish this project, that will save so many lives.”

Leslie’s sense of humor and gusto were legendary. Over the next few years hers was a familiar voice in our office–calling regularly to tell us how much she appreciated our work, how we were her “angels,” and how much she “loved” us. But her love didn’t stop here. It was extended to so many people nationwide who were sick and struggling with Lyme. Leslie and Tracie started the support group Minnesota Lymefighters Advocacy. Suffering from Lyme induced insomnia, she had late-night conversations with people across the country–many of whom she had never met–offering them words of encouragement, hope and affection. It is a testament to her profound affect on so many and the devastating emptiness she leaves that so many have been moved by her passing, never having even met her.

Leslie’s death leaves a deep hole in my heart and in so many others. Her indomitable spirit and passion for life were equaled only by her anger at the injustices wrought by Lyme ignorance and her dedication to help heal. May this be a lesson–and Leslie’s legacy–for all of us.

Andy Abrahams Wilson

Producer/Director

UNDER OUR SKIN

Leslie’s Obituary

Leslie Rae Wermers Remembered on YouTube

3 Comments so far

Eileen McInerney November 5th, 2008 9:29 pm

My condolences to Tracie on losing her sister and to the rest of their family. We’ve lost another great person to this horrible disease.

Andy, thanks for helping to try and stop the madness going on in mainstream medicine. And madness can = murder.

Dawn Irons, Editor PHA November 6th, 2008 12:14 am

Tracie–

My heart goes out to you-…

I remember all the encouraging letters and photos you and Leslie would send telling to keep up the work with the PHA and that it was helping get the word out…especially on the days I wondered if it was helping at all– your notes would show up just when I needed the encouragement the most.

I am heart-sick for your personal loss and the loss to the whole Lyme community– Leslie was such a vibrant FIGHTER and an inspiration for us all…

She had such spirit about her!

There is a huge hole in the heart of the Lyme world over this loss. Please know we are mourning with you and keeping you close in our prayers as you grieve.

We love you Tracie!!

Dawn

Mandy Hughes November 6th, 2008 1:04 am

I thank God for people like Leslie…I was fortunate to know her and to be able to call her my friend. We spoke nearly every other day…she was a wonderful person who always made me laugh and I miss her dearly…

I watched her video on youtube, she is such a beautiful person with a heart of gold. Like she said in the video about the other girl whose memorial she drove to Iowa to attend, "she didn't have to die". Leslie didn't have to die either!

I am so sorry for her family.

Leslie was a wonderful friend to me, I miss her terribly. I spoke with her partner yesterday, they are all of course beside themselves as are we. But Leslie had a wonderful last week of her life, a better week than she'd had in a LONG time. Her final night was wonderful, she spent it with friends and loved ones at a halloween party, and she died peacefully in her sleep around 5am.

I'm crushed over this, she was such an amazing woman and friend. Such a fighter for the lyme community. It's because of her, that I cand do what I do here. Take refuge in knowing she went peacefully and now she is whole and pain free.

I will meet you in Heaven Les!

Can someone tell me how she died? I have been trying to find out how someone young and suffering from Lyme disease simply dies in their sleep.

I talked to her family several times since her death. basically, I'm kicking myself because I was supposed to go to the ILADS conference in san fran with her, i backed out I was so sick. It was our chance to meet. I had known her from here for about 2 years, we talked a lot on the phone.

basically when she got home from the conference, she wasn't feeling well, saw her lyme doc who said she was pretty much stage 4, which means you can still try to treat if you want, but it doesn't look good. THey say even if she'd continued treatment, it still would have resulted the same. SO she decided to just treat symptoms, pain managment and xanax etc.

Her last week was one of her best, thank God. She felt good, better than she had in a long time. the night she died they had gone to a halloween party, it was her favorite holiday. she had a wonderful time. She hadn't been sleeping well, so she was up until about 4am. when she went to bed, she told her partner "the dogs are outside, they are fine, good night, I love you". They think her heart stopped pretty much as soon as she laid down. They didn't even know she had heart issues.

Sadly, she left a 6 year old daughter behind. Having lost my father when I was only 9, this breaks my heart.

She wasn't afraid of dying, we'd talked a lot about it. She was not only a Sherrifs deputy at one time, but also an undertaker, she had heard many stories of life after death, and we talked a LOT about those, and near death experiences.

She had been misdiagnosed for many years, with some ridiculous things, and I think she just was tired.

SHe was one heck of a fighter, she helped thousands of people find thier way. IN fact, it's because of her, that I am able to help all of you. She gave me the confidential list of docs, she got ILADS behind me, and she was one of my biggest supporters.

She was the type of person who when you talked about her, she was always more concerned about you and how you were doing, than talking about herself. No matter how many questions I'd ask her about how she was doing, she'd always put it back to me and helping me.

We believe she knew it was coming. The week before she died, she bought thank you cards and said "I just think we need to have these on hand", and like many of us lymies, she was very scatter brained, nothing in order, such as pictures, like mine, are all over the house, a project I want to take care of "one of these days", well, when her partner went to get them together for the funeral, she already had them done.

I know she is whole again and in peace. I wasn't sure I was going to continue on diong all this on MDJ, being as sick as I am, it takes a toll on me, along with little kids, and all that , but after her death it has just made me stronger in my will to keep fighting in her memory. I won't let that die along with her.

just an FYI, I know it scares a lot of people when death from lyme comes up, but I have read and heard that the biggest cause of death from lyme is suicide. SO keep fighting, people do get well.

As I celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, I will be grateful for having the chance to have Les in my life, I'm so lucky to have been able to call her my friend. She was a one of a kind woman.

I know lyme can kill, but I am shocked it can just kill someone so quickly in their sleep...especially if they are not bed bound etc. Though I am still learning about this disease.

What things was she dx with before she got a true dx?

Very sad....

All I can say is only the good die young. The longer I live the more I know that to be the case. (I just realized the irony in what I just typed!)

Obviously I am not a dr. but I wanted to tell you about that so you can ask about getting this test done as well. Laura is now doing very well, she is recovered from a VERY serious case of lyme, lots and lots of tick bites before she knew they were dangerous.

She is well except she says she will probably always have to take beta blockers for her heart. I guess because that nerve was damaged.

You can read about her story here. I'm glad you are pursuing this. Try not to be afraid. YOu are going to get help for this! I'm praying for you!

http://www.wildcondor.com/lyme.html