Stella Reddy's Story of Hope

When the lies about me first appeared online back in November 2017 with 859kennedyroad.com, I felt an overwhelming sense of shame. I am grateful the site no longer exists. 
It wasn’t just the words — it was the exposure, the twisting of my life into something unrecognizable. I started questioning my worth, wondering how anyone could believe such distortions. I was truly shocked.

Shame has a way of seeping into everything. It silences your voice and makes you hide. For a while, I let that shame define me. I hid away for just over 2 years, living in a bubble of my own making.

Recognizing What Wasn’t Mine to Carry

Eventually, in late 2019, after months of counselling, I realized the shame didn’t belong to me; it belonged to those who wrote those lies. I was carrying someone else’s anger, someone else’s narrative. All their words on all their websites they created, not me. 
That realization was my turning point.

I began to separate who I truly am from the distorted image created by others. I stopped apologizing for things I didn’t do and started reclaiming my own identity. There was no racism or discrimination towards them while I was doing my job. They had to provide evidence to prove their allegations, not just their words.

Rebuilding from the Inside Out

Recovery wasn’t instant; it has taken me the past 5 years. It came through small, steady acts of self-kindness — journaling, walking in nature, speaking my truth online, even when I was scared of their retaliation. 
I learned to meet my pain with compassion instead of judgment.

I reminded myself that every person who has faced humiliation or false accusations deserves to stand tall again. I wasn’t broken — I was simply learning to rebuild.

Honesty as a Foundation for Healing

Honesty became my anchor. I stopped running from the story and began telling it in my own words, with clarity and hopefully some dignity. I have learned how to leave their names out, yet share what happened from my personal perspective. I have a right to share it. 
That act of transparency transformed the shame I once felt into strength.

When you live honestly, no lie can truly hold power over you. Toxic people can say whatever they want; unless they can prove it, it doesn’t matter.

Defining My Own Worth

Today, I no longer measure my value by the opinions of others. We all have people who think they know us better than we do, but that isn’t true. There are no mind-readers, no matter what they think.
My worth comes from how I treat people, how I face challenges, and how I continue to show up for myself — even on hard days.

I’ve learned that self-worth isn’t something others can give or take. It’s built from within, through courage, integrity, and compassion.

If you’ve ever been shamed, ridiculed, or misrepresented, please know that healing is possible.
You can rise from the harshest criticism and reclaim your dignity piece by piece.

The truth is simple: I once let online lies define my worth.
Today, I define it myself — through honesty, compassion, and resilience.