Sofia - of personal letter to Kate fame - where is she?

Snowy wrote:In his second book GA has quite a lot to say about her illness, from what little I have gleaned of its contents. She seemed to be suffering from total mental exhaustion as he makes reference to her being put into some kind of a coma, which is normally only done if someone is in such extreme distress that they need total rest.
That would be a very good reason for her to stay well away from the court room and I should imagine she was advised to do so by her own doctors.

Snowy wrote:In his second book GA has quite a lot to say about her illness, from what little I have gleaned of its contents. She seemed to be suffering from total mental exhaustion as he makes reference to her being put into some kind of a coma, which is normally only done if someone is in such extreme distress that they need total rest.
That would be a very good reason for her to stay well away from the court room and I should imagine she was advised to do so by her own doctors.

Sofia Leal: Deep depression supporting her husband

Has your family been hurt in this process?

This year in April, I started feeling very low. I did some blood tests and the result revealed that my body (this was not even a psychological matter anymore) was at its limit. The pressure had been huge (moving house, changing schools, changing jobs, defamation, Gonçalo’s early retirement). All the common patterns were fine, including the hormonal part. Nonetheless, until today nobody understands how I managed to get so far.

By the end of April, my body had not even a trace of adrenalin, dopamine or serotonin. In physical and emotional terms, I had given everything I had, plus what I didn’t have. The McCann couple, that is clearly and directly responsible, certainly knows what this means. Nevertheless, due to my psychiatrist and to my family that tried to protect me, I made it through the summer “on one foot”. Afterwards, and due to the processes, the threats, in October my body failed and broke down. I went through shock therapy that included being “shut off” for two weeks. My husband didn’t sleep, in order to “watch over” my sleep.

How do your daughters react to the information that they receive about their father?

Concerning the information that reaches the girls, it’s not easy, but there is a basic principle: to tell them the truth, according to their age. Rita, who is 11 years old and surprisingly mature, is able to understand almost like an adult. Ines, who has just become six, knows that Maddie’s parents loved her so much that they refuse to believe that she died. That her father, Gonçalo, who is a great policeman, with the help of other policemen, of the laboratory and of the dogs, managed to prove that Maddie died. But the little girl’s parents don’t want to believe that, and they don’t want her father to say that. But I always tell her that the parents didn’t hurt her, that we don’t know how it happened yet, but Maddie died. And that Gonçalo won’t give up on finding out “how”, because that is the only way that Maddie’s parents will believe, and she can become another angel just like Joana.


source: Nova Gente, 12.12.2009, paper edition only

Snowy wrote:Thanks Inyx, that was what I was thinking of. I had forgotten it came direct from SL herself.

I still think it sounds as if she needs to be nowhere near the courtroom and the scrum outside it.

Snowy wrote:''Niece to a certain Snr Amaral ''

I don't think so!!