Bonnie Nettles
Encyclopedia
Bonnie Lu Nettles née Truesdale (1927 - January 20, 1985) later known as Ti was co-leader of a group with Marshall Applewhite
which would later become the Heaven's Gate
group after Nettles's death. Nettles died of liver cancer
in 1985 in Dallas, Texas
, 12 years before the cult's mass suicide in 1997.
family for all of her life until adulthood. In 1938, she was "born again in Christ
" After becoming a nurse, Nettles married a businessman and remained with him for 23 years, having four children with him. Their marriage remained mostly stable, until 1972 brought an end to it. Though there could be multiple reasons for this break between Nettles and her husband, according to the New York Times, what finally dissolved their marriage was an "overpopulation of spirits". This refers to Nettles' belief that "Brother Francis", a 19th century monk, frequently spoke with her, giving her instructions. Furthermore, Nettles often conducted seances
with mediums
in order to contact other "deceased spirits". A "circle group" was held every Wednesday at her house in relation to this. Also, in 1972, Nettles went to see multiple fortunetellers
, who told her that she was soon to meet a "mysterious man" who was " tall with light hair and a fair complexion". This description was fairly close to Applewhite's.
Nettles finally met Applewhite in March 1972, though where they met is uncertain. According to the writings of Applewhite, "he said, he was visiting a hospitalized friend when Mrs. Nettles entered the room and their eyes locked in a shared recognition of esoteric secrets." However, Applewhite's writings were prone to hyperbole
or relaying everything as some occurrence of fate
. Terrie Nettles, Bonnie's daughter, has stated that "The Two met at a drama school
in a theater." And that Applewhite had been teaching in the school, while one of Bonnie's sons was attending. Bonnie's son, Joe Nettles, also corroborated this version of events.
Whichever version is correct, it is known that directly after their meeting, Nettles did an astrological reading
for Applewhite, from which she found an "alignment" between their stars. Applewhite then explained to her his ideas about "heavenly connections", thoroughly convincing Nettles of their truth. He decided that Nettles was "to be the sage, he the speaker." They left together on New Year's Day
of 1973. Her three youngest children were left to remain with their father, while her oldest, Terrie, then 20 years old and skeptical of her mother's ideas, fended for herself.
Many events passed in creation of the Heaven's Gate group and the formation of its core members, with Nettles continuing to be the interpreter of signs and the mystic
of the group. In 1983, she had to have an eye removed due to cancer, though her doctor informed her that the disease was already spreading through the rest of her body. She stated that the doctor was "ignorant" and believed, along with Applewhite, that she could not die, as they had to "ascend" together. However, the cancer continued to worsen, moving to Nettles' liver. Eventually, she succumbed in the "summer of 1985", dying at the Dallas Parkland Memorial Hospital
. While there as a patient, she used the pseudonym
Shelly West.
Applewhite convinced the rest of the group that her "broken-down vehicle was left behind". He had her body cremated
and her ashes were then spread in a lake somewhere in Texas
.
respectively and later "Do" and "Ti"
, along with Guinea and Pig
at some points in time.
Marshall Applewhite
Marshall Herff Applewhite, Jr. , known among his followers as "Do", was the leader of the Heaven's Gate religious group. A self-proclaimed prophet and messiah, he died in the group's mass suicide of 1997.-Early life:...
which would later become the Heaven's Gate
Heaven's Gate (religious group)
Heaven's Gate was an American UFO religion based in San Diego, California, founded and led by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles...
group after Nettles's death. Nettles died of liver cancer
Liver cancer
Liver tumors or hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver . Several distinct types of tumors can develop in the liver because the liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant...
in 1985 in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, 12 years before the cult's mass suicide in 1997.
Biography
Born in 1927, Nettles was raised in a BaptistBaptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
family for all of her life until adulthood. In 1938, she was "born again in Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
" After becoming a nurse, Nettles married a businessman and remained with him for 23 years, having four children with him. Their marriage remained mostly stable, until 1972 brought an end to it. Though there could be multiple reasons for this break between Nettles and her husband, according to the New York Times, what finally dissolved their marriage was an "overpopulation of spirits". This refers to Nettles' belief that "Brother Francis", a 19th century monk, frequently spoke with her, giving her instructions. Furthermore, Nettles often conducted seances
Séance
A séance is an attempt to communicate with spirits. The word "séance" comes from the French word for "seat," "session" or "sitting," from the Old French "seoir," "to sit." In French, the word's meaning is quite general: one may, for example, speak of "une séance de cinéma"...
with mediums
Mediumship
Mediumship is described as a form of communication with spirits. It is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Voodoo and Umbanda.- Concept :...
in order to contact other "deceased spirits". A "circle group" was held every Wednesday at her house in relation to this. Also, in 1972, Nettles went to see multiple fortunetellers
Fortune-telling
Fortune-telling is the practice of predicting information about a person's life. The scope of fortune-telling is in principle identical with the practice of divination...
, who told her that she was soon to meet a "mysterious man" who was " tall with light hair and a fair complexion". This description was fairly close to Applewhite's.
Nettles finally met Applewhite in March 1972, though where they met is uncertain. According to the writings of Applewhite, "he said, he was visiting a hospitalized friend when Mrs. Nettles entered the room and their eyes locked in a shared recognition of esoteric secrets." However, Applewhite's writings were prone to hyperbole
Hyperbole
Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally....
or relaying everything as some occurrence of fate
Destiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...
. Terrie Nettles, Bonnie's daughter, has stated that "The Two met at a drama school
Drama school
A drama school or theatre school is an undergraduate and/or graduate school or department at a college or university; or a free-standing institution ; which specialises in the pre-professional training in drama and theatre arts, such as acting, design and technical theatre, arts administration, and...
in a theater." And that Applewhite had been teaching in the school, while one of Bonnie's sons was attending. Bonnie's son, Joe Nettles, also corroborated this version of events.
Whichever version is correct, it is known that directly after their meeting, Nettles did an astrological reading
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
for Applewhite, from which she found an "alignment" between their stars. Applewhite then explained to her his ideas about "heavenly connections", thoroughly convincing Nettles of their truth. He decided that Nettles was "to be the sage, he the speaker." They left together on New Year's Day
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
of 1973. Her three youngest children were left to remain with their father, while her oldest, Terrie, then 20 years old and skeptical of her mother's ideas, fended for herself.
Many events passed in creation of the Heaven's Gate group and the formation of its core members, with Nettles continuing to be the interpreter of signs and the mystic
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
of the group. In 1983, she had to have an eye removed due to cancer, though her doctor informed her that the disease was already spreading through the rest of her body. She stated that the doctor was "ignorant" and believed, along with Applewhite, that she could not die, as they had to "ascend" together. However, the cancer continued to worsen, moving to Nettles' liver. Eventually, she succumbed in the "summer of 1985", dying at the Dallas Parkland Memorial Hospital
Parkland Memorial Hospital
Parkland Memorial Hospital is a hospital located at 5201 Harry Hines Boulevard, just west of Oak Lawn in Dallas, Texas . It is the main hospital of the Dallas County Hospital District and serves as Dallas County's public hospital.- History :The original hospital opened in 1894 in a wooden...
. While there as a patient, she used the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Shelly West.
Applewhite convinced the rest of the group that her "broken-down vehicle was left behind". He had her body cremated
Cremation
Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compounds such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation....
and her ashes were then spread in a lake somewhere in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Nicknames
Applewhite and Nettles went by the names "Bo" and "Peep"Little Bo Peep
"Little Bo Peep" or "Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep" is a popular English language nursery rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 6487.-Lyrics:As with most products of oral tradition, there are many variations to the rhyme...
respectively and later "Do" and "Ti"
Solfege
In music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable...
, along with Guinea and Pig
Guinea pig
The guinea pig , also called the cavy, is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common name, these animals are not in the pig family, nor are they from Guinea...
at some points in time.