Stepmother In Denver Says Wade Michael Page Had Normal Childhood
DENVER (CBS4) - The stepmother of Wade Michael Page, who is suspected in the Wisconsin Sikh temple killings, lives in Denver. She told CBS4 she thinks his military service may have played a role in the rampage.
Wade Page spent 17 years in Colorado, including living in a Littleton apartment.
"I'm totally devastated, his father is devastated," Page's stepmother Laurie Page said. "We're pretty much in shock … we don't know how this happened or where it came from."
She wanted people to know more about the person she knew -- Wade Page as a young boy.
"It was a very normal childhood, and as a teenager his life was very normal too," Laurie Page said.
Laurie Page was part of his life for 20 years starting at age 10. Wade Page was born and raised in Colorado, and he decided joined the Army after taking a year off after graduating high school.
"The last time I saw Wade was at Christmastime 1999, and one of his comments was the best thing that he ever did was join the military," Laurie Page said. "In my heart of hearts I can't say that's probably the best thing that he ever did."
Because she thinks her stepson's possible links to white supremacist groups happened while in the military.
"If you want to get down to my gut feeling, yes, but I will never know that," she said.
Laurie Page says even though Wade Page was her stepson, she raised him. His biological mother died when he was 13.
"To lose a child, even though he wasn't my biological child, he was indirectly my child, and that's what I keep remembering, him as a little boy," she said.
But she also doesn't forget the innocent victims in Oak Creek, Wis.
"My heart goes out to those people. I'm as devastated for them. All I can do is put them in my prayers."
Jesse Page, Wade Page's father, lives in Texas. He and Laurie Page divorced in 2001 but they have been in constant contact. Jesse Page has cancer and is not doing any interviews.
While Wade Page was in the Army he repaired missile systems and was later a psychological operation specialist. He was discharged in 1998 after being drunk on duty and absent without leave.
