I got home from the Star last week about 3 a.m. I turned on the news and after a few minutes I hear that Kenneth Lakeburg, the father of the Siamese twin girls, had spent money from the fund established for his daughters. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, and let it go. I was wrong.

I remember when the story first broke about the two Siamese twins that were born. What really stunned me about this story was the fact that after one hospital told the parents to abort the babies, another gave the twins a slim chance of survival. Kenneth and Reitha Lakeburg decided to take the chance.

Since that decision, the twins were born, separated, and one has died. Amy Lakeburg has been buried, her twin Angela is in critical condition at a Philadelphia hospital and her father has managed to make a complete spectacle of himself in the press.

Kenneth Lakeburg has lost sight of the original decision to take the chance, and we have lost sight of what really matters in this story – the child.

“The main story is Angela – not my dirty laundry … I do have a drug and alcohol problem and I’ll admit to that. But I’m getting help for that,” Kenneth Lakeburg told reporters at a press conference last week.

I cannot imagine what Lakeburg and his wife have been through. I don’t want to, because I’m sure it’s a living nightmare. When I first became aware of the father’s personal twist in this story, I thought maybe that was his way of mourning. As the story continued, I realized it was not mourning, it was an addiction. What that does to a person is just as sad as the rest of the Lakeburg story.

I started out admiring these parents for their strength. A nation was drawn in to this family’s trauma. We sympathized with them, and probably prayed too. But now we find that the father is a loser. So what do we do, write it off, as if Amy and Angela were never born?

If that’s the case, then this is just another precious example of how America treats its children. I am really embarrassed that the Lakeburgs only collected $9,200.

Typical of Americans I guess. Rainforests, whales, and television evangelists are more important to America than our future—our children.

These people have incurred over a million dollars in medical expenses, for choosing life against the odds. Our support is not an option here. It is required. That of course, excludes the father.

I’m not one to slam fathers, but I believe that Lakeburg is bad news. He spent $5,600 on a new car, and that expense I think was legitimate, but on drugs? No thanks.

He chose to be a father, but he couldn’t take the heat. Who knows, maybe his past irresponsibility contributed to the fact that the twins were Siamese?

I know that he will be in court on Sept. 3 for violating his probation imposed after a knife fight last year. I know that he has publicly admitted to using cocaine, and tested positive for it. I know that he thinks that the acting job he’s been doing for the media will sell with the rights to the movie. But, most importantly I know that he’s a fool.

I’m sure that the law will be taking care of Lakeburg. He violated his parole through a mandatory drug test that revealed cocaine and could face up to a year in prison on the September court date.

There are two points here, have no fear of Kenneth Lakeburg, his day will come. A fool’s day always does.

Secondly, Angela is another example of life. No matter how we abuse it, mistreat it, kill it, or hate it, life is still a beautiful thing. For us to forget that is to give up all hope.

I hope that Lakeburg wakes up and reforms his screwed up life. Additionally, I hope Angela makes it, even if her dad doesn’t. Then the fool might realize what we all should—how important children are in this world.