Bonus: Cheryl remembers Stacy (Downers Grove ’76–’77)

In this bonus episode, I sit down with Cheryl—one of the few friends willing to remember my mom out loud. For 45 minutes we go back to 1976–77: unincorporated Downers Grove summers, the black-lagoon pool in Phoenix, eighth-row Kansas tickets worth getting fired for, bedroom-window entrances, “Free Bird” on a battered karaoke box, and the late-night calls that began, “Cheryl, baby… did I tell you how much I love you?”

This isn’t paperwork; it’s texture. It’s Stacy before the headlines—fun-loving, tough on the outside, soft at the center—and a friendship that kept showing up even when life got hard.

What’s inside

• How Stacy landed in Downers Grove and instantly built a tribe

• Party stories, near-misses, and neighborhood nicknames (John Boy, Marty, Larry & Jerry)

• Phoenix memories: tubing the river, the black-lagoon pool, and that Kansas concert

• Late-’80s/early-’90s phone calls—what they did (and didn’t) say

• Why some memories stayed off-mic on purpose

• Production note: my first remote interview on Riverside (two brief audio dropouts; conversation preserved)

Cover art I tracked down the airport photo Cheryl mentions (she’s in The Loop radio tee, taking my mom to fly back to Phoenix) and made it this episode’s cover. It shows on Spotify; Apple Podcasts may not display it after my Libsyn switch.

Call to Action: Keep Stacy’s name moving

If you knew Stacy in Downers Grove, Phoenix, or Sedona—or you knew Russell Peterson—please share what you remember. Even a small detail can matter.

Yavapai County Attorney’s Office Prescott: (928) 771-3344 • Camp Verde: (928) 567-7717 • Email: [email protected]

Sedona Police Department (Non-Emergency) (928) 282-3100 • Front Office: (928) 203-5002

Sedona Red Rock News Newsroom: (928) 282-7795 • Tips/press: [email protected]

Be respectful and factual when you reach out. If you’re contacting the paper, include your name, best call-back number, and any documentation or links.

Share a memory or a tip with me

📧 [email protected] DMs open: @nicolewasilishin (TikTok/Instagram). Tell me if you want your message read on air or kept anonymous.

Season 2: Case submissions (open now)

We’re collecting cases for Season 2 (DV-related, cold cases, or cases with accountability gaps). Send pitches, timelines, links, and how we can reach you: 📧 [email protected]

Support the show & community events

We’re keeping the GoFundMe open to help with upcoming appearances and community events—like my school’s Fall Festival—so we can keep printing merch and saying yes to every booth we can find. Thank you for helping us keep Stacy’s name in motion. 👉 GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/this-is-my-birthday-wish-help-me-bring-my-mothers-story-to

Also: Dickie Birdie’s wish list is still active. If you want to make his day, he loves toys and stuffies—it’s the highlight of his day when a package arrives. 🐶💛 👉 Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/49E74TM4J5D8?ref_=wl_share

Safety resources

If you or someone you know needs help, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Call, text, or chat 24/7.

Credits — Host: Nikki Wasilishin • Guest: Cheryl Mendel • Recording: Riverside (remote) • Edit: minimal; select private moments removed at guest request

If this episode moved you, follow, rate, and share Papi Killed Mommy. Keeping Stacy’s name in motion helps more than you know.