Once upon a time a writer, Cal Fussman, and an artist, Lucy Schaeffer, got together and wrote a book, The Guest Who Threw Tomatoes.
It tells the witty story of Pepe, who comes to visit the Sapikowski family from his home in Spain. Here are a few paragraphs from an excerpt published online:
Adam knew it was special to have a Spanish guest because his parents allowed him to stay up until 10 o’clock to pick up Pepe at the airport.As they waited, Mr. Sapikowski pulled out a little Spanish dictionary and practiced saying the word “hola.” That means “hello” in Spanish(...)
“Hola,” Mr. Sapikowski said.
“Hola,” Pepe replied. “You are longer than a day without bread.”Now, Mr. Sapikowski was a very tall man (emphasis added ~ S.H.). But he had never heard anyone say that about him before...
At least according to his bio from the site promoting the book, Cal Fussman lived in Chapel Hill, North Carolina at the time he wrote the text.
Today the Sapikowski name is in the news [Google search]. The Sapikowski family of Chapel Hill, to be exact. The Sapikowskis who have a son named Adam, who would have been about 11 or 12 when The Guest Who Threw Tomatoes was written.
From unchockey.com; UNC Ice Hockey Announces Inaugural Carolina Invitational Tournament:
Chapel Hill (Friday, 8th, April, 2005) – J.D. Sapikowski, Head Coach of UNC’s hockey program, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, announces sponsorship and participation in the Inaugural Carolina Invitational Hockey Tournament to be played in Hillsborough, North Carolina, Oct 14th, 15th and 16th of 2005...
"JD" Sapikowski was James Sapikowski... Sapikowski ran businesses, but his passion had to have been hockey.
He won't be at that October tournament.
Also found at the site:
The Ice Hockey team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is deeply saddened and shocked by the loss of our head coach, Jim Sapikowski...
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - john a
Leave this family alone.
They do not deserve to be humiliated in the press. This is a great tragedy.
This is not some sordid "In Cold Blood" cheap-trick sing-song.
2 - Steve
John, out of respect for what you wrote, I did make some changes, something I've only done a handful of times on anything. But I'm not taking the article down completely here or at my own blog. As it is I have mentioned nothing that wasn't also in Fox News' coverage (for example), up to and including the element of the family having been used as characters in that book.
3 - JM
I think we are looking at the beginings of another Chrisotpher Pittman case. I'm willing to bet that alot of people will want Adam to get a light light prison sentence or maybe just probation. If it is proven that he is guilty of these horrible crimes, then he should be incarcerated.
4 - Steve
Even if he is proven insane under the McNaughten rule -- if that is still the legal standard of proof in NC -- he should be hospitalized for life. If there's no insanity issue even if mental illness of some sort was there, he should be put away for a very long time, as a kid who could do this and not only cover it up, but leave his parents laying where they died, is and will always be a real danger.
Serial killer Ed Kemper killed his grandparents at 15 -- he was judged insane and hospitalized for all of 5 years. Then when he got out of the mental hospital he started killing co-eds.
5 - Angela
It just goes to show, it doesn't matter if you live in The Oaks or Joppa Oaks, noone is immune from this kind of tragedy.
6 - Steve
I agree. We all want to think we are. But we've never been immune, any of us.
I feel sometimes like a terrible, terrible pessimist, then I realize there's a sort of odd comfort in knowing that madness, badness, and death is only the darker side of how equal we all really are.
I write about this stuff because I never had any illusion that I lived in a world safe from, free of, such things.
7 - withheld
While I do not know the family life, I know a little about Jim. While he could be generous with his money, he could also be a bully and definitely had issues with anger and trying to control people. He also seemed to have this desperate need to be seen as a leader and mentor. I never met his wife, and to be fair, Jim spoke only praise of her. Sadly, with the side of Jim's personality I was exposed to, I was more surprised that he was part of a children's book than that he was killed in such a manner. He certainly could push people the wrong way. Still, that is no reason for murder. We all must learn to cope with what troubles us without resorting to violence and we must not be ashamed if we need to seek outside help.
8 - Steve
The Children's book is the strangest angle of all.
While the most important thing you said was "That is no reason for murder," I still thank you for presenting a little more of the picture.
9 - john a
Steve,
You can post what you wish (though taking your lead from Fox News hardly gets my vote for integrity).
Concerning comment 7 posted anonymously:
First, have the conviction of your statements to leave your name.
Second, to say Jim had "issues with anger" is a careless statement. Let me put this another way; if Jim had an opinion, he'd let it be known. Being Canadian, it was something I loved about him. He had the courage to put his opinions out there. He didn't expect you to go along with him, he wanted to engage you.
Now, putting all that in the context of this matter, it is unwise to speculate that any of what I have posted here (or what anyone else has posted) played any part in his unfortunate and untimely death.
10 - john a
Comment 4...
"Ed Kemper"... oh come on, enough, already...
PS... I am not rich: his house was not "huge" (as if that had any bearing on the matter).
Stop trying to rush to meaning for what none of us understand.
11 - anonymous
I KNOW Adam Sapikowski. You all should just leave him and his family alone. Do not judge him and say "he went mad." He truly was a nice kid, who sat next to me in some of my classes over the past few years. This is a tragedy, but there is no need to make judgements on people you don't know.
12 - steiner
This event troubles me everytime I see the boy's face. No, I'm not identiftying. I see a decent, smart kid that went mad on something or because of someone while he was on something, and my perceptions have rarely been off. Guess we will have to wait and see. Hmmm, who thinks Adderal?
13 - john c
Haven't any of you considered the possibility that Adam was badly abused by his father for a long time -- physically and emotionally? That's what I've heard -- severe abuse and provocation. Statistically, in the vast majority of parent-murder cases, there is systematic and long-term child abuse. I'm not justifying murder but I don't know why you have to assume that Adam went crazy or was on drugs. It's not hard to understand why a kid who had been threatened with a baseball bat by his huge, aggressive father might get violent.
14 - anonymous
I find it to be quite sick that some of you are using this tragedy as a piece of gossip. It's so low that debating about the misfortunes of others brings you entertainment, especially a family that was such a big contribution to our community. I agree with john c, you don't know if he was abused or not, and automatically saying he went mad or was on drugs is disgustingly ignorant. I was especially appauled when I read the comment posted by steiner. Not only are you slandering him and cracking sinical humor, but what you are saying is a flat out lie. No one would have suspected Adam. He appeared to be a perfectly normal kid. The thing I find to be the most appauling, however, about your entry, is that, judging by the name "steiner," and your saying you know him, you're Michael Ulku-Steiner, the principal at Durham Academy Upper School, and his former principal.
15 - SAPIKOWSKI
TO ALL
ME AND THE REST OF MY FAMILY WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU ALL WOULD DROP THE SUBJECT. IT HAS NOW BEEN 3 MONTHS AND YOU STILL CANT GET OFF THE TOPIC. AS I AM A MEMBER OF THE REST OF THE FAMILY I AM SICKENED THAT PEOPLE THAT NOW THE FAMILY OR SAY THEY KNOW THE FAMILY WOULD TAK ABOUT US THIS WAY. AS FRIENDS AND AQUAINTENCES YOU SHOULD THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK AND BE MINDFUL OF WHO MIGHT READ WHAT YOU WRITE. I HAVE SAT ON THE SIDE LINES FR FAR TOO LONG AND CANNOT TAKE THIS ANYLONGER. SO PLEASE RESPECT OUR WISHES AND STOP ALL THE POINTLESS SLANDER OF MY FAMILY. THANK YOU.
SPC BRANDON SAPIKOWSKI
U.S. ARMY
ADA
16 - withheld
Thats not Mr. Ulku-Steiner, he would never say that.
By the way, hes not the Principal. We have no principal, hes the Upper School Director.
17 - Michael Ulku-Steiner
Thanks to the perceptive "withheld."
Indeed, "steiner" isn't me (I know how to spell "identifying," for one), but is perhaps someone's attempt to throw yet another level of rumor on this already painful story. I second Brandon Sapikowski's plea: let's all be careful about uninformed speculations and mindful of so many suffering friends and family members. Much is at stake.
Respectfully,
Michael Ulku-Steiner
18 - LauraFranks
Brandon- if you happen to see this, I just want you to know how sorry I am. I hope you are doing well. Always, Laura Franks (Arapahoe HS)
19 - lilly
this is for adam's family, i dont know u'll as a family but i do know adam alittle, and i heared about the rumors and the lies just want to say i hope u all are doing well and being strong
lilly
20 - bob ze butler
My teacher was a nanny and this man killed people he is very mean and his sister wanted the inheritance so she hired her bro to kill them!!!!
21 - nzie
The above statement by bob ze butler is patently untrue. No inheritance is worth that pain, and to accuse someone who is suffering such grief in such a terrible situation is despicable. I couldn't let something so heinous go uncontested, but I defer at this point to the family's wishes for privacy. they are in my prayers-- no one should suffer this or the gossip that follows.
22 - Ca
Stop talking about this tragedy. This family needs peace, silence and to be left alone. They need to go on and leave this very horrific loss behind a heavy locked door. They have suffered too much and must not carry this into the present or future. Only the mindfullness of good should be of now! Rest in Peace beloved ones. May goodness, joy, and happiness be carried forward in this wonderful family. God bless you always with love and support:)
H.
23 - Withheld
comment #20
i literally feel nauseated after reading your statement.
24 - worried
I don't know this family, but I can't help thinking over and over again about how tragic this has been for everyone, not the least of whom is Adam. Surely, his parents would not have wished that he spend his entire life in prison... despite the fact that he did this. The kid was under the influence of raging hormones - as powerful as any street narcotic - and going through the normal process of establishing his independence from his parents. Clearly things got WAY out of control and it is awful that the parents were killed. Adam will have to live with that for the rest of his life. But what a waste to not even let him have that life.
My son is the same age as Adam. He had a very similar upbringing to Adam. He also had fits of rage as a teenager. If one of those had turned violent and I had been in the Sapikowski parents' place, I honestly believe that my love for my child would trump my anger at his taking my life. I would want him to salvage the best life possible.
I hope that Adam's siblings can find a way to forgive him for everyone's sake. And I hope that something happens so that Adam does NOT spend his life in prison. This is all just so terribly sad.
25 - Sarah
I knew nothing about this case until now, and having read all of your comments along with local news archives online, I feel that you people are expressing your right of freedom of speech, but at the same time, it is classless to sit around making inferences about what may have or have not happened to cause this tragedy.
I hope you all find other means of amusement, because this is a sick source of entertainment.