Trapped in Obsession: The Ashley Wadsworth Murder Case

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[00:01:30] CrimeCon yet. See you there. The case featured in this episode has been researched using police records, court documents, witness statements, and the news. Listener discretion is advised. All parties mentioned are innocent until proven guilty, and all opinions are my own.

[00:01:48] Hey everyone, my name is Nikki Young, and this is Serial Napper, the true crime podcast for naps. I'm back with another true crime story to lull you to sleep, or perhaps to give you nightmares.

[00:02:19] In the age of social media and online connections, it's easy to believe that relationships, no matter how far apart, can flourish, even across continents. But for one 19-year-old woman, an online romance with a charming young Englishman would take a dark and tragic turn.

[00:02:38] Ashley Wadsworth, a bright, adventurous teen from Vernon, BC, had spent years building a connection with Jack Seppel, a young man from the UK. Their relationship had blossomed online, and in November of 2021, Ashley left Canada to start a new chapter of her life, meeting Jack in person for the very first time.

[00:03:00] To her friends and family, Ashley's journey seemed like the dream of a young woman eager to explore the world, her social media filled with updates of beautiful sights and happy memories. But behind the photos of Ashley's bright smile and excitement of her travels, a darker story was unfolding, a story that would end in heartbreak. Just months after arriving in the UK, Ashley Wadsworth was dead.

[00:03:29] Her family and friends who had followed her journey from afar would soon learn of a chilling truth about the man she had chosen to trust. What led to Ashley's tragic death? Why did no one stop Jack Seppel before it was too late? This is the story of Ashley Wadsworth, a young woman full of promise whose tragic fate was sealed by an online relationship gone horribly wrong.

[00:03:55] So, dim the lights, put your phone down, and listen as I delve into the twists and turns of this heartbreaking case where love, trust, and a hidden past collided with fatal consequences. So let's jump right in. Born on July 25, 2002 in Vernon, British Columbia, Ashley Wadsworth was a bright, adventurous young woman with a passion for life.

[00:04:21] After graduating from W.L. Seton Secondary School, she had big plans for the future, including furthering her studies by attending college or university. Known for her boundless energy, Ashley was deeply loved by her family and friends, bringing joy and happiness to everyone around her. Her mother Christy would say, quote,

[00:04:43] Ashley was something of a spitfire. She was amazing. She was inquisitive. She was adventurous, into sports, and was always outside. She was a ball of energy. Ashley had an immense love for the outdoors. Skiing, swimming, tennis, skating, and horseback riding were just a few of her passions. She lived for adventure and exploration, whether it was on the slopes or out on the water.

[00:05:13] As a child, Ashley was always on the go, but she was also known to be a social butterfly, known for her kindness and her ability to make everyone feel welcomed. It was her desire and ability to connect with others easily that would cause Ashley's life to take a turn when she was 12 years old. At the time, Ashley didn't have a smartphone, and her mother didn't think she needed one at such a young age.

[00:05:39] But she was no stranger to the family laptop, where she spent time on social media connecting with friends and exploring the world beyond her small town. That's how, in 2015, 12-year-old Ashley and a 16-year-old English boy named Jack Seppel connected on Facebook. She saw that he was a mutual acquaintance of one of her real-life friends and decided that she wanted to connect with him online.

[00:06:05] She thought if one of her friends was also friends with him, well, he must be a decent guy. Besides, she thought he was cute. Ashley and Jack could not be any more different. While Ashley was outgoing, a sports enthusiast, and a natural leader, Jack Seppel was different. He was withdrawn and somewhat isolated, spending most of his time on social media.

[00:06:30] One of the only things that they really had in common at the time was that they both lived at home with their parents still. Despite their differences, they seemed to hit it off. Their three-and-a-half-year age gap didn't seem to matter, and distance, at least at first, wasn't an obstacle. They would spend hours and hours chatting about anything and everything.

[00:06:53] Ashley had always been curious about the world beyond Vernon, and Jack offered her a glimpse into life in Kelmsford, England. She was intrigued to learn more about what it was like living over in the UK, and over time, their online friendship turned into something a little more. At first, the pair were more like pen pals, exchanging daily messages about the happenings of each other's lives.

[00:07:18] Ashley mentioned Jack to her family, her mother Christy, her sister Haley, and her father Kenneth, who lived nearby. While Ashley's mother was cautious, worried that Jack might be a catfish or an adult trying to take advantage of her teenage daughter, she was reassured when Jack sent photos of himself, proving that he was indeed the teenager he claimed to be.

[00:07:40] For the next seven years, Ashley and Jack's relationship remained on and off, more of a distant friendship than a romantic bond, at least in the eyes of her family. But for Ashley, it was more than that. She spoke about Jack constantly to her friends. Every boy she met was compared to him, and the ups and downs of their relationship, especially the drama of their long-distance love, only made it all the more alluring.

[00:08:10] Jack sent her gifts, clothing, jewelry, teddy bears, and even money. Their connection, while often interrupted by periods of silence, it was intense. One of Ashley's closest friends, Tiana, would say, quote, She had this connection with him that nobody understood. With an eight-hour time difference, Ashley would often wake up before dawn to talk to Jack, and he stayed up late into the night. But it wasn't always smooth sailing.

[00:08:40] Like any other teenage relationship, they had their fights, especially over Jack's insecurities about Ashley's friendships with boys back home. At times, Ashley would even block him on social media, only for Jack to create new accounts or send angry messages to her friends and family determined to get her attention. To some, Jack's behavior seemed obsessive. To Ashley, he was just passionate.

[00:09:10] Her friend Tiana once said, He didn't like me because I encouraged her to not be with him, adding that She didn't see any specific red flags to point to, but Jack apparently never struck her as the nicest guy to her friend. And her friends, they did try to get Ashley to see that his behavior wasn't healthy. But unfortunately, she couldn't seem to break away from him. She wasn't ready to let Jack go, even if it did cause a bit of chaos in her life.

[00:09:40] By early 2018, Ashley began asking her mom if she could visit Jack in the UK. But of course, at only 15 years old, her mother said no. The idea of her daughter traveling across the world to meet someone she'd never met in person felt far too risky, too dangerous. So, for the time being, they kept their relationship going strictly online. However, that wouldn't stop Ashley from planning for the future.

[00:10:09] She'd eventually be older, exempt from her parents' rules. And one day, she knew that they wouldn't be able to prevent her from going if she really wanted to. In October of 2018, when Jack was nearly 20 years old and Ashley was just 16, he revealed a new addition to his growing tattoo collection. Ashley's first name inked on his arm in elaborate cursive writing. For Jack, it was a sign of his devotion to her.

[00:10:39] Ashley's mother thought it was extreme. At the time, she told her daughter that she wasn't allowed to reciprocate with her own tattoo. Honestly, she found it all to be a little bit creepy. Despite the tension, Jack's gesture highlighted the deepening bond between the two, even as the relationship remained mostly digital. As soon as Ashley was able to work legally, she began racking up hours at her part-time job, working at McDonald's, Burger King, a Chinese restaurant,

[00:11:09] Home Depot, and a clothing store called Red Bag. One of her first big purchases was actually an iPad of her own, finally freeing her from the constraints of the family laptop. A way for her to communicate with Jack as often and privately as she wanted, which only fueled their online romance. In her late teens, Ashley's life took a spiritual turn when, at 18, she became a Mormon after experiencing what she described as a God moment.

[00:11:39] This newfound sense of faith, combined with her growing desire for independence, it led her to a major decision. She would move to the UK to be with Jack. She felt that their meeting was destiny. In 2020, Ashley deferred her enrollment at Thompson Rivers University due to the pandemic, which had forced courses to move online. With her high school graduation behind her, and now money in the bank,

[00:12:07] Ashley saw it as the perfect opportunity to fulfill her dream of living in England. She was an adult now, ready to embrace her future despite her parents' concerns. She applied for a six-month tourist visa, and on November 12, 2021, at age 19, she boarded a plane to London. It was her first time traveling alone, a bold step into the unknown,

[00:12:34] one she was willing to make in order to finally meet Jack, the young man she had been talking to for seven years now. Ashley's mother had to relinquish control of the situation, believing that the worst that could happen to her daughter was that this relationship just wouldn't work out, and her daughter would have to return home. She had no idea at the time that so much worse could happen, and would happen. At first,

[00:13:03] things seemed to be going smoothly for Ashley and Jack, who were finally united in person after seven years of chatting online. Ashley's friends and family cheered her on as she took this leap of faith. She updated her Facebook profile with a new picture, her and Jack cheek to cheek at London Gatwick Airport, both grinning with excitement. Jack was heavily tattooed,

[00:13:28] with a tough look that kind of contrasted with Ashley's soft, demure appearance. She wore a floral pattern mask, pulled below her chin with her innocent smile radiating happiness. Her friends and family were supportive. They left hearts and smiley face emojis in the comments, their words of support filling the digital space. After years of waiting and longing, Ashley seemed content,

[00:13:56] and her friends and family were grateful that it seemed to be working out. Ashley moved into Jack's home, a row house in a public housing complex in Kelmsford, where he had been living since 2020. He had actually first moved into this house with a former girlfriend, but the pair had broken up after a tumultuous relationship. Ashley didn't know the full scale of just how volatile that relationship was,

[00:14:23] but she felt that things would be different between her and Jack. The neighborhood had a rough reputation, but together they explored some of the more picturesque districts in the area. Ashley posted photos on Facebook of their travels together, one capturing them hugging outside of a church, autumn leaves scattered on the ground, grinning with wide smiles. Everything looked picture perfect.

[00:14:49] They even decided to get a kitten and name it Winston, a pet for Ashley to love and snuggle whenever she was missing her friends and family. When Ashley FaceTimed those back home, she seemed to beam. Jack, too, appeared cheerful. Her friend Tiana recalled, quote, She was sending me videos. She was happy that she was with him, and she was excited because when she was supposed to come back,

[00:15:16] she wanted him to eventually try and come back to Canada as well. And that was the plan, to stay in England for a bit for those six months of her visa, and then to travel back to Canada so that Ashley's family could finally meet Jack in person, too. But things quickly began to change. Within weeks, Ashley's world began to shrink. Jack, who had been eager to show her around at first, became more reclusive.

[00:15:44] He stopped wanting to go out on walks and instead spent his days inside, smoking weed and playing Xbox. Jack, once a charming figure in Ashley's life, began to control her every move. Ashley had made some connections through her church, and she planned to meet up with some other Mormons in the area to expand her social circle in this new country. But Jack didn't want her going anywhere. He was especially insistent about her avoiding groups with other males.

[00:16:14] He started tracking her cell phone activity, watching who she messaged, to the point where Ashley had to delete her WhatsApp history to maintain any sense of privacy. She began to feel trapped, controlled, and deeply unhappy, longing to return home. As Ashley faced growing isolation and manipulation, she found herself in a relationship far darker than she ever expected.

[00:16:42] Jack began to become physically violent with Ashley. During one altercation on Boxing Day, Jack allegedly hit Ashley because he had discovered two blocked numbers on her phone, and he just assumed that she had been hiding the phone numbers of men from him. When Ashley tried to stand up for herself, explain herself, and told them that maybe it was time for her to go home, Jack would self-harm in an attempt to get her to stay. And it worked.

[00:17:11] She felt like she needed to stick by him because she was the only one who could talk him out of his darkness. It's time for a quick break and a word from tonight's sponsors. Hang on, I'll be back before you know it. Let me tell you about the online cannabis company that's revolutionizing how we deal with life's challenges. From sleepless nights to stress-filled days, mood.com has created an entire line of functional gummies

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[00:19:33] Despite the fact that things between the couple were becoming tumultuous and violent, Ashley put on a brave face on social media, only showing the highlight reel, photos that made them look like a happy couple. Yet she was honest with her sister, Haley, who was worried sick back home. She would tell Haley about their fights and how Jack had become physically violent with her. She kept a secret folder on her phone

[00:20:01] of photos of the bruises that she had suffered by his hand. Ashley knew what he was doing to her was wrong, but she so desperately wanted to stick by his side, she made her sister promise not to tell any of their other family members, especially their mom, because she knew her mom would make her return home immediately. Things only escalated from here. Jack was on anti-anxiety medication. However, he was also abusing drugs,

[00:20:31] which is counterproductive and can actually make your anxiety so much worse. In December 2021, he tried to overdose by taking an abundance of his medication. Ashley was the one to find him and call an ambulance. He survived his suicide attempt, but now Ashley was in charge of nursing him back to health, ensuring he was mentally okay and only taking the medication that was prescribed to him. Again, her friends and family

[00:21:01] urged her to come home, but Ashley felt that she needed to stick with Jack and help him through his hardships. Fearing being cut off by her sister, Haley kept Ashley's secrets. The last thing that she wanted to happen was for Ashley to simply stop talking to her. Then she'd never know what was going on and she wouldn't be able to help keep her safe. Just the following month, there was yet another violent altercation. During an argument,

[00:21:30] Jack smashed a glass beer mug over Ashley's head, causing it to shatter. Weeks later, while Ashley was still on FaceTime with her sister Haley, he threw a candle and a remote control at her head. He wasn't even trying to hide the violence anymore. Once again, Haley begged her sister to come home where she was safe and loved, but Ashley was stuck in a vicious cycle of abuse. Jack would hurt her in a moment of rage,

[00:21:59] accusing her of betraying him. Then he would apologize, change his attitude for a few days so that she would decide to stay. But all of that would change on February 1st, 2022. On the morning of February 1st, Jack's anger reached a boiling point. Convinced that Ashley was sneaking around on him, he went through her phone, a habit that had become all too familiar in their relationship. Just before 8 a.m.,

[00:22:28] their neighbor, Helen Bertenshaw, heard Ashley's screams through their shared wall. Moments later, Ashley appeared at Helen's door, barefoot and crying with a cut on the palm of her hand. She revealed that Jack had smashed her phone, had called her names and assaulted her. In a desperate attempt to protect herself, she confided in Helen about her fears, fears that Jack might kill her. Despite her pleas for help,

[00:22:58] Ashley asked Helen not to call the police, possibly fearing Jack's reaction or the consequences that he might face. Helen, in an effort to try to help, suggested that Ashley join her for a medical appointment. That way, they could take some time and some space apart from each other. But Ashley declined. So instead, Helen decided to reason with Jack herself and went next door to talk to him. Now, when Helen went next door to speak with Jack, she found him sitting there

[00:23:27] eerily calm. They spoke briefly and Jack appeared to be remorseful. He even apologized to Ashley. So, Ashley returned home unaware of the horror that awaited her. This was not the first time Jack's anger had boiled over, but it would be the last time Ashley would face it. Around 9 a.m., another neighbor, Lucy, arrived at Jack's doorstep with a package that had been mistakenly delivered to her address. Jack,

[00:23:58] known for his brooding nature, barely opened the door, leaving Lucy with a sense of unease. It wasn't unusual, though. Jack was always quite short and reclusive. The apartment seemed quiet at the time and she didn't notice anything particularly out of the ordinary. Meanwhile, Ashley, desperate for help, was hiding in the bedroom using Jack's phone to call her family back in Vernon. It was midnight there, but Ashley's urgency

[00:24:27] was palpable. She told her mother that she wanted to come home, terrified of Jack's escalating violence. Her mother swiftly booked a flight for her set to depart in two days. Ashley's mother instructed her to leave immediately if Jack's behavior worsened, and she warned Jack that she would call the police if he hurt her any further. Jack agreed to keep his hands to himself, promising that he would even take her himself to get a COVID test, which was a requirement

[00:24:57] for her flight back to Canada. Her mother was worried, but she did feel better knowing that soon Ashley would be on her way back home to her, safe from this volatile relationship. This was the last time Ashley spoke with her family, around 3 a.m. in Vernon or 11 a.m. in Kelmsford. Minutes after Ashley's call, Jack messaged his mother on WhatsApp, confessing to the brutal assault on Ashley. He wrote her, quote, I beat up Ashley

[00:25:27] really bad. His mother responded with concern, asking if Ashley was hurt and why he had done it. Jack's reply was chilling, he wrote, she thinks she broke her arm, I picked her up and threw her on the ground and punched her and ripped her all around the lounge. Despite this horrific admission, Jack's mother did not respond any further according to phone records. This lack of intervention would prove devastating.

[00:25:56] Around midday in Kelmsford, Ashley sent a flurry of messages to her friends at the local Mormon church, including a young man named Jamie who was a missionary. She pleaded for help, stating that it was an emergency. However, these messages went unseen for hours, leaving Ashley alone and vulnerable. Despite her pleas for help, Jack's grip on her life tightened. A couple of hours after Ashley's frantic messages,

[00:26:25] further text messages were sent claiming that everything was now okay. But it was a ruse. As it turned out, these messages were actually sent by Jack who was manipulating the situation to cover his tracks. Tragically, it was around this time that Jack took Ashley's life. life. Between 1238 and 1245pm, he strangled her, then he retrieved an 11.5 centimeter knife from the kitchen. In a frenzied

[00:26:55] attack, he stabbed her at least 90 times in the chest and abdomen. Then he placed her body in the bed that they had once shared. He wasn't going to let her leave him. After committing this heinous crime, Jack's actions were eerily calm. Investigators later found blood on an Xbox controller, suggesting that he played a video game after Ashley's violent death. He even changed his Facebook profile picture to a picture of himself and Ashley,

[00:27:25] captioning it forever mine. Then in a chilling video message recorded for Ashley's sister Haley, Jack confessed his love and sorrow, saying he couldn't let her leave. Haley would never see this video that he recorded for her, not until it was played in court later. Then Jack made superficial stab wounds on his own chest, possibly in an attempt to fabricate a self-defense claim. Or perhaps he was toying with the idea of taking his own life,

[00:27:55] but he just couldn't go through with it. There was no way he was ever going to get out of what he had done. As the day drew to a close, Jack's final communication was with his sister, Nadia. During a video call around 4pm, he confessed to her that he killed Ashley and he even showed her the body lying in their bed. Ashley had suffered wounds to her heart, liver, lung, and stomach and she had bruises all over her face, neck, and both

[00:28:25] arms and legs. It was while he was still on this video call with his sister that police, alerted by concerned friends, burst into the house. Ashley's Mormon friends had visited the property earlier after finally getting her frantic messages, but no one had answered the door at that time, so they had called the police. It was their call to the authorities that led to the discovery of Ashley's lifeless body. As police entered the unit, the officers

[00:28:54] described Jack as calm, a stark contrast to the horror he had just committed. When Ashley's family and Vernon woke up to the barrage of messages, they frantically tried to contact her, only to find silence. They called around to everyone and anyone that they could, worried about her, but they couldn't reach anyone. The reality of their loss would soon become devastatingly clear. Ashley was gone. Her life had been taken by the man she had

[00:29:24] trusted since she was a 12-year-old girl chatting with him on the family computer. Her friends and family were shocked, devastated. She was only two days away from returning home safely to Canada when she was killed. As the investigation into Ashley's murder unfolded, a disturbing picture of Jack Seppel's past began to emerge. This was certainly not the first time he had shown violent tendencies. After being sent to Kelmsford prison,

[00:29:54] Jack scribbled a chaotic statement claiming that he was high during the murder. The letter he wrote chillingly revealed that he had quote, stabbed the life out of her to prove I fucking own her. When he was arrested, Jack had told police that he had gone psychotic. However, toxology reports showed only cannabis and a therapeutic dose of his anti-anxiety medication in his system. A psychiatric assessment deemed him fit to plead and stand trial, but he

[00:30:24] wouldn't need to. In September of 2022, faced with overwhelming evidence, including his own video recorded confession, Jack Seppel entered a guilty plea. But what was not known to Ashley's family was Jack's dark history of violence, all of which would come out during sentencing. As it turned out, Jack had a history of harassment, assault, and controlling behavior towards previous partners. He had

[00:30:53] multiple restraining orders against him, including one from his own mother after a violent incident. If Ashley's family had known about this past, they might have intervened years earlier, potentially preventing the tragic events that unfolded. If they had any inclination, they would have done everything in their power to shut off communication between Ashley and Jack when she was young, long before he would ever have the chance to meet her and take her life.

[00:31:23] At just 15 years old, Jack began to exhibit signs of a troubled mine. He met a 14-year-old girl online and then he took explicit photos of her without her consent. When she ended their relationship, he hacked into her Facebook account and shared the images publicly, leading to a restraining order being filed against him. His disregard for boundaries and the law was evident because he repeatedly breached this order. He sent Instagram requests to

[00:31:53] the victim even after the order expired in 2017. It was much like the way he would create new accounts to reach Ashley when they fought and she blocked him. In one chilling message to the victim, he vowed to pursue her relentlessly, stating that he would see her soon, no matter the cost. Jack's violent streak extended to his family as well. In 2014, he shoved his mother to the floor during an argument over his Xbox and he damaged

[00:32:22] their home. This behavior continued years later when in 2018, he cut his arm and became enraged when his mother called an ambulance. He was sentenced to eight weeks in a young offender institution and he had a restraining order filed against him by his own mother. Jack's history with women was marked by jealousy and control. In 2020, he met a woman on Facebook and he quickly moved in with her. However, his behavior turned violent when she

[00:32:52] tried to leave. He choked her and he locked her inside the house. This was the young woman that he was living with that he had a relationship with shortly before Ashley had moved in. Despite these incidents, he managed to avoid any serious convictions due to the victims not attending these trials. They were likely terrified of him, so much so that they just couldn't face him in court. For killing Ashley Wadsworth, Jack Seppel was sentenced to life

[00:33:22] in prison with a minimum of 23 and a half years before being eligible for parole. Through his lawyers, he delivered an apology note to Ashley's family, attributing his actions to intrusive thoughts that affected his behavior. He wrote, quote, There is nothing I can say that can bring Ashley back, nor can I make your pain go away. I'm very sorry for what I did, and I regret my actions that led to taking Ashley's life.

[00:33:51] You have known of my mental health as I was open to Ashley about this and how it affected my thinking, and whilst other people may not believe me, my mental health had deteriorated rapidly, and it's no excuse, but I know my intrusive thoughts have a big effect on my thinking and my actions. I just wanted to tell you I am so, so sorry. Jack Seppel For Ashley's family, the sentencing brought little closure. They are

[00:34:21] haunted by what-ifs. Most painfully, what if they had known about Jack's dark past? As it turns out, there is something in place that is supposed to help with this. The UK's domestic violence disclosure scheme, known as Claire's Law, is designed to prevent such tragedies by allowing police to disclose an abuser's history if they believe someone is at risk. Claire's Law, named after Claire Wood, who was murdered by her violent partner in 2009,

[00:34:51] operates through two main elements, the right to ask and the right to know. The right to ask allows individuals to request information about a partner's past, while the right to know enables police to proactively disclose this information if they believe that someone is in danger. Ashley's mother has expressed regret over not knowing about Claire's Law earlier. She believes that if she had been aware of it, she would have requested information before her daughter moved

[00:35:21] to the UK. While sadly it is too late for Ashley, her mother believes that it's important to share her daughter's story so that more people are aware that this law exists because it could save someone's life. So now we're left with a haunting question. Could Ashley Wadworth's tragic fate have been avoided? The answer lies in the shadows of Jack Seppel's past, a history of violence and control that was hidden from those who needed to know most.

[00:35:51] Ashley's story is a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked obsession and the importance of recognizing the signs of abuse. It highlights the critical role that laws like Claire's Law can play in preventing such tragedies. But also, there are some challenges that this law faces in practice. Some police forces have very low disclosure rates, with some rejecting almost all requests for information. Other police forces struggle to keep up with the rate

[00:36:21] of requests. The other issue is that Claire's Law, it primarily focuses on disclosing information about a partner's criminal history. That means that it might not capture the full extent of abusive behavior, giving some potential victims a false sense of security. It's certainly a start, but there is definitely more work that needs to be done here. For Ashley's family, the pain of what-ifs will linger forever. But their courage in sharing her story, it serves as a beacon of hope,

[00:36:51] reminding us all of the need for vigilance and action against domestic violence. If you or someone you know is living through domestic violence, please listen closely. this is not just a story. It's real life and help is out there. You are not alone. There are people ready to listen, to support you, and to help you find safety. No matter how dark things may seem, there is a way out. There is hope and you deserve to be safe,

[00:37:21] so reach out because your life matters. That's it for me tonight. If you want to reach out, you can find me on Facebook at Serial Napper. You can find my audio on Apple or Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. I post all of my episodes in video format over on YouTube, so go check it out. And if you're watching on YouTube, I'd love if you can give me a thumbs up and subscribe because every little bit helps. I'm also on Patreon. If you'd like to get your Serial Napper episodes

[00:37:50] early and ad-free, hop on over and check out the details at patreon.com slash Serial Napper. Until next time. Sweet dreams, stay kind, especially in the comments. Bye.