A senator from Alberta, he says, recently caught the film in Edmonton. "I haven't talked to him yet, but he spoke to Andrew's father after the screening. The audience gave it two standing ovations."
Kuenne also says he's been receiving a steady stream of e-mails from people who have seen the movie. "I have had several people say it changed their perspective on life and made them avert thoughts of suicide because they saw the impact one person can have like Andrew. They said, 'I feel like I want to go on and be somebody like him.' "
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Sunday, October 26, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 29 words Type of Material: Correction
Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne: A headline for an article in today's Calendar section about the documentary "Dear Zachary" refers to its maker as Kevin Kuenne. His first name is Kurt.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Sunday, November 02, 2008 Home Edition Sunday Calendar Part E Page 2 Calendar Desk 1 inches; 28 words Type of Material: Correction
Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne: A headline for an article last Sunday about the documentary "Dear Zachary" incorrectly referred to its maker as Kevin Kuenne. His first name is Kurt.
He recalls recently receiving a note from a 21-year-old woman who saw the trailer for the film on YouTube. "She wrote to me and said, 'I am pretty certain I was the last patient of your friend,' " Kuenne says.
"She was suffering from anorexia and depression, and she bounced around between seven and eight different doctors and nobody seemed to care. She kind of lost hope.
" 'Then your friend walked into the room and the way he looked at me, I suddenly knew this was the person who could heal me,' " Kuenne says, quoting from the note. " 'I felt for the first time I was a human being.' "
The next day, she learned Bagby had been murdered.
"Even meeting him for 15 minutes," Kuenne says, "it devastated her that someone could do that to the person she was certain was her healer."
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susan.king@latimes.com
