First Witness Statement

Longtermsurvivor 1

First Witness Statement

By Joseph M. Perusic III

I am the author of this work. The thoughts, records, and reflections contained within are my own. They are based on lived experience, survivor logic, and years of documentation. No one else is responsible for the content, conclusions, or implications of this material.

This is not a legal accusation or medical diagnosis. It is a survivor’s record—created for clarity, continuity, and care. Any resemblance to known patterns is either systemic or coincidental.

I have asked questions. I have tracked contradictions. I have documented what was said, what was done, and what was ignored. I have not speculated. I have not accused. I have simply preserved what happened.

This work is not intended to harm anyone. It is intended to protect others from the harm I have endured. If it is misunderstood, I ask only that it be read again—with humility, not fear.

If the truth revealed here is difficult to believe, I understand. I lived it before I could explain it. But I leave this behind not to be believed—only to be found.

— Joseph M. Perusic III December 29, 2025