A Texas man vowed to forgive whoever killed most of his family... then he learned it was his son

A Texas father who had his wife andson killed in 2003 by one of his sons is begging the state of Texas to commute his son's sentencing from the death penalty to life in prison. Thomas “Bart” Whitaker is due to be executed on Feb. 22 for killing his brother and his mother. Bart also shot himself and his father Kent Whitaker.

As Kent Whitaker lay on his hospital bed with a 9mm bullet hole six inches from his heart, all he could feel for the unknown person who shot his family was deep hatred. But he later vowed to forgive whoever killed most of his family. However, he was not prepared to find out it was his surviving son whoplanned the murders. Below is the story as reported by The Washington Post. It was December 2003, and the pillars of the Houston-area man’s life had just been ripped down. A husband of 28 years, now he was a widower.

 A father of two college-ageboys, one was dead while the other was recovering from a gunshot wound. A man of faith, he was burning at God for letting tragedy strike. His anger tightened specifically around the unknown shooter who had ambushed the four as they came home from a family dinner.“All I could feel for this person was an incredibly deep and powerful hatred,” Whitaker told The Washington Post. “Just thinking about how I could inflict pain on him.”

But Bible verses also pushed into Whitaker’s thoughts. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,” he recalled. “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Revenge was a dark path he did not want to step down, so Whitaker resolved to forgive the shooter. In the hospital bed, it seemed impossible. But he would do it. No matter who was responsible.“As soon as that happened, there was a warm glow that flowed over me,” Whitaker said. “It took the fire out of me.”What Whitaker didn’t realize then was that the man he would have to forgive was his surviving son, Thomas “Bart” Whitaker.

In spring 2007, Bart was convicted of orchestrating — along with two accomplices — the murders of his mother, Tricia, 51, and younger brother, Kevin, 19. During the attack, Bart was purposely shot in the arm as a way of diverting suspicion. Jurors sentenced him to death. Throughout the appeals, however, Whitaker has stayed by his son’s side — and remains there today, as the state prepares for Bart’s execution, which is scheduled for Feb. 22. With time running short, the Whitakers have asked the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to recommend that Gov. Greg Abbott (R) commute the sentence to life in prison.

Whitaker’s forgiveness is the bedrock of the petition, as he said hebelieves the board’s role is to provide a check on the justice system when it fails. Whitaker said his son’s sentence was flawed because no one — neither he nor Tricia’s family — pushed for his execution.