When Michael Eckert was only eight years old, he went from a typical, Midwestern kid, to a child who was betrayed and abused by a person who he trusted – Fr. Thomas Miller. Michael was a parishioner and student at St. Vincent de Paul in Peoria, Illinois and that’s where he met Fr. Miller. Michael was only eight years old when the abuse started; he was abused dozens of times between 1997 – 2003. The abuse happened in the church, rectory and school at St. Vincent de Paul.
In March of 2025, a lawsuit was officially filed accusing Fr. Thomas Miller for abusing Michael; the lawsuit also named the Diocese of Peoria as a defendant. You can learn more about the lawsuit here.
For the first time, Michael Eckert is sharing a statement about what happened to him and how the effects of trauma have permeated into nearly every aspect of his life. He is courageously sharing his story in hopes of reaching other survivors with a message he wishes he’d heard as a child – You are not alone. We believe you. We support you. Your feelings are valid.
Transcript of Statement from Michael Eckert
The question will be raised of “why now?” Why did I not come forward years ago? What prompted me to do so now? Why not leave something that happened so long ago in the past? Why now?
My response is: for me, this didn’t happen “so long ago.” For me, this weighs on my mind daily. For the past 27 years, this has altered innumerable aspects of my life: my feeling of safety, my sense of self worth, my ability to trust, my relationships with others. For me, this isn’t something that happened in the past. This is something I battle daily.
I was not lucky enough to have the support of my family during the time of the abuse. I felt alone. For so long, I was alone. I internalized the pain. I struggled mentally. What this man chose to do to me took me to some extremely low periods, periods where I thought about and tried to end my life. For a long time, I carried so much shame. I didn’t tell a single person my story. I didn’t want to not only admit what had happened to me over and over for 6 years, but also admit what it had fundamentally changed within me.
Then, I found love and got married. Then, I decided to open up to one person about my past, my wife. Then, with encouragement, I began to seek professional help through therapy.
It has been an extremely long road. The healing is not over. It may never be. But now, I have something I didn’t have before. I have power. I have hope. I have the support of my amazing wife, her family that has become my family, and some extremely supportive friends.
My wife and I now share the two most beautiful baby girls. We are hopeful to raise them in a world that is safe and prioritizes the mental, emotional, and physical health of children. I am doing this for them.
I am sharing my story now to provide an example of someone who has walked such a dark path due to what this man chose to do to me, yet has come out on the other side with such a beautiful life.
For anyone who has dealt with or is currently dealing with abuse, please, do not give up. You are not alone. You are not powerless, even though every part of you may be trying to tell you that you are. You are not weak. You are so much stronger than you realize. You are loved. You can and will find hope again. I stand for you. I stand with you.
I am taking back control. This is my life, my past, my present. My story.