Amy J. Bennett

I was shocked last week to finally see Tammy Faye at 65 lbs. and then saddened to hear of her death this weekend.  My family has a sort of history with the Bakkers.

We live in Fort Mill, SC home of the original PTL or Heritage USA, whichever you’d like to call it.  My earliest memory of my childhood is actually from PTL.

When I was 3 and my sister is 1 my parents felt led to move to the South.  They owned a 2 story house in Maryland and yet when they moved to Fort Mill, we moved literally into a pup tent on the campgrounds of PTL.  We stayed there for 6 weeks and then other people on the campgrounds let us use their camper for a few weeks until we got into an apartment in Charlotte, NC.  I still remember going with my mom to the public restrooms at the campground.

My dad got a job at PTL.  He worked in the hotel and then in the “pyramind building” as a computer programmer on their systems.  My dad worked there for several years, even after we moved back to Fort Mill to a house.

I remember going behind the hotel counter and up the stairs to my dad’s office.

I remember looking over the railing and into the open restaurant and seeing people eating there.

I remember swimming in the indoor pool at the hotel.

I remember shopping at the stores on the Main Street in the hotel.

I remember eating ice cream at the shop on the end of main street.

I remember eating at the cafeteria there.

I remember the water park and always being afraid of the largest slide.

I don’t think I ever went down that slide.

I remember the big cliff jump and the lazy river and the wave pool and the tube ride and the lemonade drinks and the snack stand behind the waterfall.  I even remember the lockers.

I remember everything about that waterpark.

I remember the outdoor pool near the condos.

I remember seeing the Bakker show taped at the studio.

I remember the skating rink.

I remember the big Moose.

I remember the country store and shopping there.

I remember all the people.  So many people went there.  Especially at Christmas for the light show.

I remember being in line outside of PTL just trying to get to our house and there was a little side street you could go around to get past all the traffic.

I remember when Dad worked at the pyramid place and I pulled the fire alarm.

I remember seeing Dad changing tapes on the computer systems.

I remember drawing a picture of a house with windows and curtains while we visited my dad one day there.

I remember the tram and the train.

So many memories.

In fact, my first job was at the ice cream store on Main Street.  Even after most things were shut down, the waterpark stayed open and I used to go there every afternoon after my second job at the real estate.

One time I met Tammy Sue at the hotel.  I remember seeing Tammy Faye and Jim one day there.  I even remember seeing Tammy Sue at our post office one day.

I had their records and I remember listening to the children’s songs.

I have lots of memories of PTL and the Bakker’s.  And let me tell you, they’re good memories.

My parents shielded me from all the stuff that happened. I didn’t really understand all of it.  But even now, as I understand what happened, I don’t harbor bad feelings for them.  We all do things we’re not proud of.  He just happened to be in the spotlight.  I do wish him well and when I say I’m saddened by Tammy Faye’s death, I am.  It’s like a part of my past is gone.