Comments
Addict

Pookie,Former Patient

Wow, u guys were lucky to get to go roller skating at wal-lex , when I was there, they didn't do that, we would be allowed to earn off ground priviledges and take a walk to the waverly oaks park down the street, but, we never did anything more than that, we would go out back for nature trail walks to Rocky Meadow where there was a swing set & til this day, that swingset is still there...

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Leaving

Pookie,Former Patient

Boiler1220,
I just wanted to say thank you for being you, you are truely a great guy,....I can't believe they took the building down, can't wait for all the snow to melt so I can what the place looks like....

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Narrow Rooms

pookie,Former Patient

Boiler1220,
hello there my friend, yes, I know I made a mistake with the name and where I put it, thanks for letting me, I am such an ass, I keep screwing up on here, and yes Angela does have the best husband which is you, but, I too have the best husband, you are just a hoot and a half...miss you my friend...

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Leaving

Pookie,Former Patient

Ann Marie Narreau,
Hello there, my name is Michelle Woods-Godfroy, I was there from 82-84 and on Ward D, what years were you there? The place did suck and yes they did give us thorazine, benadryl and something else to keep us calm, I think it was valium. They did treat us like shit, there were a couple of staff members that I liked, they were Willy and Suzanne, they actually did like us kids,but, the rest of them were really mean and abused their power. I hope they all rott in hell...

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Narrow Rooms

Pookie,Former Patient

Joseph Pimental, I have pictures of Gaebler on my facebook if you want to see them you have to add me as a friend, my name is Michelle Woods-Godfroy, I was at Gaebler from 82-84 and on Ward D, it was a nightmare to say the least, but, I did try to joke a lot to stop from being so scared, I met the best of friends there and promised myself that I would come out of there and make something of myself since the rest of the world had written me off including my mother, I didn't have a father, my mother was raped and kept me, I do have a stepfather now. I am happily married with 2 beautiful girls, I have the most loving caring husband in the world and I have had a hard life but, I am standing tall and never let them get the best of me....I hope that you are doing well, and sorry that you have such a bad memory of that place that it went with you wherever you went. The building is now gone, it was demolished a couple months ago, I live in Waltham and have ever since I was there and I took as many pictures and video's that I could during the process of it being taken down which is on my facebook. Boiler1220 is an amazing guy, he is sweet, funny and so good to be around, so glad that I met him, we should all get together sometime...

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Scarred Seclusion

Pookie,Former Patient

Lukeof1988,
The above message was meant for you, as usual I screwed it up and I don't know how to fix it sorry, if you want to see pictures of the place I have them on my facebook my name is Michelle Woods-Godfroy..

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Scarred Seclusion

Pookie,Former Patient

Hello, there I was on Ward D from 82-84 and none of the murals and paintings were there when I was there, it was just a sick and twisted place to be in. I can't believe they sent you there because you were suicidal, that place will make anyone suicidal never mind sending someone there for that reason, I got sent there cause they said I was borderline personality, and I couldn't live in the real world that my behavior was out of control, when in reality it wasn't, my mother was in and out of the hospital, the Dept of Mental Health sucks...

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Narrow Rooms

Pookie,Former Patient

I have pictures of Gaebler on my facebook if you want to see them you have to add me as a friend, my name is Michelle Woods-Godfroy, I was at Gaebler from 82-84 and on Ward D, it was a nightmare to say the least, but, I did try to joke a lot to stop from being so scared, I met the best of friends there and promised myself that I would come out of there and make something of myself since the rest of the world had written me off including my mother, I didn't have a father, my mother was raped and kept me, I do have a stepfather now. I am happily married with 2 beautiful girls, I have the most loving caring husband in the world and I have had a hard life but, I am standing tall and never let them get the best of me....I hope that you are doing well, and sorry that you have such a bad memory of that place that it went with you wherever you went. The building is now gone, it was demolished a couple months ago, I live in Waltham and have ever since I was there and I took as many pictures and video's that I could during the process of it being taken down which is on my facebook. Boiler1220 is an amazing guy, he is sweet, funny and so good to be around, so glad that I met him, we should all get together sometime...

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Jungle

Pookie,Former Patient

Not Your Concern,
Hello when were you there? I was from 1982-1984 and IU was on Ward D. We never got popcorn or ice cream when we went to the activity center. You were lucjy. We also never got to roller skate or play pool like some of the other kids that I have talked to who was there as well. The place is a mess now, they have started cleaning out the building of asbestos and lead paint, so they can take it down, I want to say it will be down in 2 months the latest, I have been going up there a couple of days or say and on Sundays with Boiler 1220. I have a lot of pics on my facebook., look me upo if u want to and request me as a friend, my name is Michelle D.Woods-Gddfroy, I have new pics from yesterdsay and I video taped the inside and utside but, IU haven't posted them yet on my facebook, but, as soon as I get a chance I will...

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Auditorium

Pookie,Former Patient

I just want to update everyone on the taken down of Gaebler, I was there yesterday with Boiler1220, we have been going there for the past 3 weeks to see the progress of the building and what's being done to it. They have to clean out all the asbestos before the building can come down and also take out the lead paint, there is so much they have to do first before the building can come down but, it's coming along, and they are busting their assesw. I want toi say it will be down in the next month or two but., probably closer to 2 months. Boiler1220 knows so much more about this then I do, he is awesome, if anyone wants to go see Gaebler before it's gone, get your butts there, it won't be long, I have taken a lot of pictures and I vidoe taped the outside of the building as well as the inside of the building...I hope all the former patients are doing well and will get some kind of clousure when the building is down..As for the staff there who made our lives a living nightmare, you should ashamed of yourselves for abusing us mentally, physically and yes some of the patients were sexually abused. The only nice staff on my Ward which was WEard D was Willie and Suzanne, they actually cared about his kids can't say that about any one else. I hope that if they had any children of their own that those children were able to have a happy and safe life, but, with those staff members who treated us so poorly I doublt that their kids had a good childhood and probably got abused by their parents cause thats how they treated us kids. May god rest on the little souls who lost their lives to abuse, poisoning and committed suicide....

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Addict

Pookie,Former Patient

Matt,
It's very eery and freaky in there, there is so much damage, and yes you did hear screams, but, you try to block them out, the place is trashed, the paint is falling off the walls, there is graffiti everywhere, broken doors,windows and bathrooms, it's just scary, but, at the same time, it's interesting, Boiler and I were just there on Sunday 8/1. They have started to take the building down now, Testa is there with all their equipment, so it won't be long before it's gone and just leveled like this horror place was never there, but, us former patients will never forget about Gaebler or the hell we endured., If you were there, when were you there?

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Scarred Seclusion

Pookie,Former Patient

Noname,
I heard the noise on Sunday when I was there with Boiler1220, Do tell him what do it is, cause honestly, he is a determined and strong man, he will so get the door opened,, trust me, I seen him in action.....

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Scarred Seclusion

Pookie,Former Patient

Boiler1220,
Hello, I know of the noise, but, I guess I just tried to block it out, cause we were in there, I didn't see any locked doors, so if Scott can tell us where that door is yes, we need to unlock it, Eric and I went there yesterday but, couldn't really see what was done. Can't wait for Sunday and to see you again....

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Scarred Seclusion

Pookie,Former Patient

Noname,
Explain to me how you got in there on 7/28/2010, because the building is fenched off and there is a locked door on ther front of the building , and also there are no locked doors inside of the building, I have been on every floor and every ward and every room, and when they closed the building. the took all the locls off the doors so people couldn't get locked in any of the rooms and suffocate and die....

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Auditorium

Pookie,Former Patient

To All
I just wanted to let you know that Gaebler is coming down this week, I just went there today and the company Testa in Wakefield,Ma got the contract to demolish on 7/15/2010. THey have a locked door on the front of the building now and a fench around the whole building, and they have already done a lot of work, not to the building but, like all the poles and things outside have been taken down and there are piles and piles of sebris from the inside of the building that has been taken out of the building. So, IU am assuming that the building will be down this week, cause they are working pretty fast. I am very mad that the fact that I can't get back in there. I have been in there quite a lot this year and a month ago. I wanted to go back to see more of it and go downstairs to the basement but, now i can't, so I am now going to email channel 5, The Daily News Tribune Paper and see if I can't somehow be able to be there when it does go down this week, I feel I have to do something, that by them taking it down without me and any other kids who were patients there and treated like crap and abused don't get to get the clousure that we all deserve. It's the least the state can do, since the state owns the building not the city of Waltham,Ma. I will let you all know if I get anywhere....

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Jungle

Pookie,Former Patient

Scott
WOW!!! I was there too, and that is how I got in there as well......

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Scarred Seclusion

Pookie,Former Patient

Noname,
yes, I have heard those same noises when I was there, but, I just thought that I was hallucinating and didn't want to believe what I was hearing, I heard it up on the 2nd and 3rd floors, which would be Ward d and B on the 2nd floor and Ward E and A on the 3rd floor, or I think it's Ward A, I know it's ward e casue my cousin was on ward e when I was there on ward d. The place is just really freaky now, and all kinds of noises I hear, I heard childrens voices and a constant knocking noise on the windows like we used to do and always scream for help, and the knocking noise was in perfect harmony, it was really weird.

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Scarred Seclusion

Pookie,Former Patient

To Ward D patient,
You are so right, it really was the staff that made that place and a horror place at that, they treated us children and yes we were just children like we were mentally unstable and were a menace to society, I don't know how they live with themselves but, I believe what goes around comes around and they will get what is coming to them someday if it hasn't already happened....

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Scarred Seclusion

Pookie,Former Patient

Thanks Motts for fixing my name screw up...I appreciate it....I suck at this computer stuff......

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Scarred Seclusion

Pookie,Former Patient

Marie ,
The message that was just posted on 7/5/2010 was from me, I am sorry, I don't know how your name got on it that you posted it sorry again. And I have been inside there quite a few times and took lots of pictures and OMG!! I can't believe all the things that I have seen, it's friggin scary, the place is trashed, and there are rooms that I never knew about, can't believe we had to endure such a life, we weren't patients as my husband would say we were inmates & victims...

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Scarred Seclusion

Pookie,Former Patient

I live in Waltham and I was also a patient at Gaebler, I go by it all the time,, it was not a fun place to be at or anything that helped heal us children, we were mentally and physically abused and treated like we were nothing, so getting out of there was the best thing for everyone who has ever been a patient there, and now that they are at some point going to take the building down, can only now help us heal. I believe that are going to be putting up condo's or townhouse or both, that is what Waltham does when they tear down a mental institition, they did it to a cronically ill and mentally ill place like 30 seconds up the hill, I forget the name of it, but, that is now all townhouses. But, I don't know if us patients/kids will ever be able to have complete clousure even thou the building will be torn down, but,as usual Waltham is taking thier time. I hope that your stay there was better than mine....

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Leaving

Pookie,Former Patient

Shawn,
hello, I don't know it's being torn down, I live in Waltham so I am forever checking on it, I will let you know, I will email you on your facebook and you can email at anytime ....

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Leaving

Pookie,Former Patient

Dennis,
The next time I go., I will call you and we can meet......

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Auditorium

Pookie,Former Patient

Dennis,
Yes the best friends I have ever had were in there, I do have one bestfriend since 3rd grade that was never there but, she stood by me in time of need and til this day we are best friends. I feel sad, mad and angry when I go there, and yes, I would feel better if that building gets taken down asap. I do still keep in contact with Danny, but, he had a really bad time there and he doesn't ever want to to back there, I just saw him on Tues 6/15. I did go into my bedroom when I was there and all the other rooms and all the wards and school rooms, it was scary, there was even a dead bird hanging by a noose in the activity room, friggin scary.. My mother is the one that called the state on me and gsve me up to them because she felt I was out of control and couldn't be a human being in society. when I confronted her she denied it then I got my papers from there and sure enough she did do it to me and I threw them at her and she couldn't say crap to me, it was a long time before I could forgive her, I am married with 2 girls and the best thing that I could have ever done was show her and everyone else that they didn't break me and that I am not a bad kid. Now my mother and I are the best of friends . I just hate that place, bad memories of being locked up, but, I am doing so much better now that I have been back there a few times in the past couple monthis, I am just trying to gt closure/.... I think it would be great to get a bunch of us to go up there together and get closure and talk about the crap we had to endure as children and yes that is all we were was children......

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control

Leaving

Pookie,Former Patient

Boiler 1220,
I can't believe they are finally going to take down the building, I was just there and I didn't see any signs except no tresspassing, even thou I did it anyways. I swear to god when I went in there the 1st time a couple months ago my husband and I could hear voices of children screaming and banging on the windows, it was very erie... Shame on the world for locking us up and not giving us the chance to have a childhood....I honestly believes what goes around comes around and I pray that the staff members Jack,Harvery,Joanna and Melodee get what they have coming, they were not nice to us children on Ward D at all, they treated us like we were criminals and slaves and the degraded us all the time....I pray for any children that they might of had...

Location: Gaebler Children's Center  Gallery: Control