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Victim’s son seeks help
May 21, 2004

By Sarah Jusseaume
rockinghamnews@seacoastonline.com

Patrick Holland and his guardian Ron Lazisky talk about the concert sponsored by the Sad Cafe in Plaistow to benefit the Liz Holland Memorial and A Safe Place. The concert will be held Sunday, May 23 at the Timberlane Regional High School Performing Arts Center.
Photo by Sarah Zenewicz/szenewicz@seacoastonline.com

PLAISTOW - The Sad Café will sponsor a fund-raiser Sunday for the Sandown boy who is in a legal battle to cut all legal ties with his father, who murdered his mother in 1998.

The benefit concert will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Timberlane Performing Arts Center. Proceeds will go to the Liz Holland Memorial Fund and A Safe Place.

Patrick Holland awoke on the morning of Oct. 13, 1998, to find his mother, Liz Holland, murdered in their home. His father, Daniel Holland, is serving a life sentence for her murder. Daniel Holland was convicted of breaking into her home, shooting her and then bludgeoning her with the butt end of a rifle.

Patrick is now 14 and is trying to rescind all legal rights of his biological father. His first attempt failed because a Massachusetts family court judge said the court had no jurisdiction.

The judge, however, changed his mind earlier this month, and another court hearing is scheduled for July that will determine whether Patrick’s request can be granted.

Patrick and his legal guardians, Ron and Rita Lazisky, have been busy. Patrick’s story has received national attention, including segments on the British Broadcasting Company, "Good Morning America," and "Night Beat" with Barry Nolan, along with interviews with Dan Rather, and it is mentioned in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and newspapers in Australia, New Zealand, England, Eygpt, and India, as well as a half-hour special on "The Chronicle," a news show by Channel Five in Boston.

Ron Lazisky added that, though he was initially hesitant to cooperate, the National Enquirer did one of the best stories he has seen on Patrick.

The Boston Globe Magazine will also be publishing Patrick’s story in the next few weeks as well, according to Lazisky.

Lazisky said Patrick is very happy about all the attention his story is getting, but not because he wants to be a celebrity. Patrick wants victims of domestic abuse to realize they are helping no one by staying with an abusive partner for the good of their child.

"He really wants to get his story out, and he really wants people to know they don’t have to live like that," said Lazisky. "He said if he can help one child or one battered woman, it’s all worth it to him ... and he’s 14."

Lazisky said the counselor Patrick meets with weekly thought it would be therapeutic for him to talk it out, and the national attention has allowed him to move forward with a purpose.

Lazisky also said Patrick understands he must do well in school if wants to continue getting his story out, and he is happy to report that Patrick’s grades at Timberlane Regional Middle School are as good as ever.

The fund-raiser will help cover some of the $8,000 in legal fees that the Laziskys have incurred, as well as costs of maintaining the memorial garden for Liz Holland.

A Safe Place was included in the fund-raising event because of the nature of Holland’s death.

"We wanted to include an organization that was working to prevent exactly what happened to Patrick’s mother," said Dick Gerrish, of The Sad Café. "We hope that the community will support this cause." s ever.

Gerrish is also hoping for donations from local businesses or individuals to help cover the $2,000 cost to put on the event that The Sad Café is funding. that the community will support this cause." s ever.

Operating as a nonprofit, substance-free, music and theater club for teens, The Sad Cafe has called Plaistow home since 1997.

The fund-raiser will feature performances by four local bands: Synj, followed by the Bob Cleary Blues Band featuring Laura Kozar, and David and Amy Herrera, a local brother and sister duo who play acoustic guitar music. Headlining the event will be pop/rock band Averi, who are expected to go on stage at 4:20 p.m.

Patrick is also working to raise money to finish a memorial in his mother’s name, located outside Sandown’s St. Matthew’s Church.

Since his mother’s ashes are with family in Virginia, Patrick said he simply wants a local place that he can go and feel near to his mom.

Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults. They can be purchased at The Sad Café in Plaistow on Thursdays from 2:30 to 5 p.m., Fridays from 2:30 to 11 p.m., and Saturdays from 6 to 11 p.m. or by calling The Sad Café at 382-8893. Tickets can also be purchased by mailing a check to The Sad Café, P.O. Box 1051, Plaistow, NH 03865. Those tickets will be held at the door on the day of the event. Any remaining tickets will be available at the door two hours before the performance begins.

Republished from The Rockingham News which is owned and operated by Seacoast Newspapers.
Copyright © 2005 Seacoast Online. All rights reserved.

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