💔PLEASE HEAR THE STORY FROM A VICTIM OF THIS MINDLESS, CRUEL AND INHUMAN CRIME. 💔
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I don’t know where to begin this devastating tale of lies and betrayal and a scam which has cost me more than a financial loss, it has created the most unbelievable deceit, emotional and psychological turmoil I cannot begin to explain. It has also created a deep pain in my soul I may never recover from, nor may I ever trust anyone again.
As I write this the tears are streaming down my face. I’ve told none of my family or friends what happened and the weight of this darkness I keep to myself I will carry in my heart and soul for a lifetime. I have never experienced anything like this in my life and will carry this shame to my grave.
I’m an educated and intelligent woman, sadly I fell victim to something I’d never have believed. The sadness hangs over my head like a black cloud.
This soldier's name is Mark, Mark Haas. He contacted me through social media, yes, I know a fatal error and one I will never make again.
In July of 2021 I was contacted by Mark, he claimed to be in the Army serving in Syria and that he was originally from Scottsdale Arizona. We talked for months, he told me of his life, how he studied environmental engineering at Arizona State University and from there had his military training at Fort Carlisle.
We spoke of his parents moving to the states from Germany and spoke of his brother Robert who also was serving, his parents had since passed away. We shared conversations throughout the day when he was done on his patrols in Syria.
I knew of his best friend Larry, whose photo was also so striking, I thought wow “he’s the epitome of a fine man.” We became so close and eventually Mark expressed his love for me and wanted a life with me once his deployment was finished, which was to have been in November as he’d be home before his birthday in December.
I had no reason to doubt him, I trusted him completely, believed every word as he made me more than comfortable and of course made me feel loved and wanted.
To be completely transparent I wasn't in the correct headspace at this time as I had found out my husband at the time was having an affair during Covid....how devastating for me a nurse who was working on the frontlines to find this out. I was already in a frail state and ever so grey, lifeless really from this betrayal of my husband of 20 years. This man Mark Haas, well he made my soul shine.
I believed in my heart he loved me, the things he wrote are like nothing I’d ever read, as a matter of fact some writings were so beautiful, they spoke to my soul and made me shed tears of happiness. To answer your question, no we never spoke face to face. He told me due to security we could not.
He shared photos from when he and his brother were both young and then as adults. There are various photos, some with him in uniform and others not. I shared photos of my family. He was so excited every time I shared my day. I woke every morning for months at 1 am so we could talk before he left on patrol just so we had a few moments and he said I gave him the reason to stay safe and my prayers were all he needed and how starting his days with me kept him from a dark place.
Mark spoke of 8 little children in Syria he encountered on his way in from patrol. He told me that he would take food to the children as they were so little and starving and of how he wanted to save when he returned home. I told him I would help him do this upon his return and he told me we’d get them together. He talked of wanting to raise them and have a simple life and how he wanted to farm with me and have a peaceful life. I was his one in a million and how he would love me until his forever fades.
I will spare you the grim details of all which transpired, I hate to think of it much less share it. As I said I’m humiliated beyond repair.
Things began to not make sense and I began questioning which made him agitated, so I never pressed further. But in my heart, I was still holding out the hope that the beautiful story we had started to create was going to be one of reality and not despair.
I happened to stumble onto a photo generator application and at that moment, I chose to put one of his photos in the frame. I’m certain you can imagine what I discovered. I found there was a young man named Matthew Haas who participated in a video for Temple University…. and that face was the same as the man I’d been speaking to for months. I couldn’t believe it; I felt my world collapse and it was like trying to climb out of a dark hole. For an instant I doubted this was possible, so I uploaded a second photo.
When the next image appeared it was of Matt Haas and his track picture. Staring back at me was this happy face, with such a spectacular smile that same smile I’d seen in so many photos, the one which made my heart beat a little faster and the smile I so wanted to see in person, whose amazing eyes melted me. I knew then what I should have all along and pieces of me died a little more inside.
I wrote and confronted him with the photos I found, he said there was something wrong with me. Believe me I know we all have a “twin” so to speak out there, but I believe he must have taken those photos and used them.
This loss for me is like death. I will forever grieve until my forever fades. I will never have true closure from this, the betrayal is beyond unbearable.
How can one human who expresses such love and care inflict such pain, it’s something I cannot fathom. I cannot imagine having such cruelty in my heart for anyone. When I lay down at night, I weep until sleep comes.
My world has collapsed. The shame is beyond description
I can’t ever share this with my family or friends
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A MESSAGE TO THIS LOVELY LADY FROM US.
Hard to believe theren is such evil in this world but there is and beyond our understanding as to how this cruelty can be carried out.
You are just a nice, kind and trusting person.. never lose that.
