>>> OUR NEXT STORY IS ABOUT A
FAMILY YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF.
THE WILLIS CLAN WAS FROM
NASHVILLE.
RISING STARS IN THE
ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.
AMERICA FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM ON
AMERICA'S GOT TALENT AND THEY
EVEN LANDED THEIR OWN REALITY TV
SHOW.
A FEW YEARS AGO A DARK FAMILY
SECRET WAS UNCOVERED THAT WOULD
CHANGE EVERYTHING FOR THEM.
LAST WEEK I HAD THE CHANCE TO
SIT DOWN WITH HIM FOR THEIR
FIRST TELEVISION INTERVIEW ABOUT
IT ALL.
WATCH.
♪
>> THEY WERE KNOWN AS THE
AMERICAN VON TRAP FAMILY.
>> YESZ --
>> WE'RE THE WILLIS CLAN.
>> HI.
>> 12 CHILDREN ALL GIFTED
MUSICIANS.
DANCING, SINGING, AND PERFORMING
TOGETHER. IN 2014.
LED BY THEIR DAD, TOE BY, THE
BAND'S SOUND ENGINEER AND THEIR
MOM BRENDA, THEIR HOME
SCHOOLTEACHER.
>> ALL 14 OF THEM WITH US.
>> THE WILLIS CLAN WAS SO
POPULAR THEY SIGNED ON FOR A
REALITY TV SHOW ON TLC.
THEIR LIVES WERE SEEMINGLY
PERFECT BUT THEN A DARK SECRET
EMERGED.
IN SEPTEMBER, 2016 TOBY WILLIS
WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH
FOUR COUNTS OF CHILD RAPE.
IN 2017 HE WAS CONVICTED AND
SENTENCED TO 40 YEARS IN PRISON.
NOW THE REST OF THE FAMILY IS
PICKING UP THE BROKEN PIECES AND
>> WOW.
JOINING ME NOW IS THE CURRENT
WILLIS CLAN BAND.
JENNIFER WILLIS McDONALD.
JEANETTE WILLIS, AND JACKSON
WILLIS.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU ALL.
WHAT AN EMOTIONAL MOMENT THERE.
TO HEAR YOUR STORY AND THEN HEAR
YOUR BEAUTIFUL VOICE SINGING AND
SORT OF BACK AT IT, STILL
STANDING.
LET'S JUST START WITH EARLIER IN
YOUR LIVES.
WHEN YOU GUYS WERE KIDS AND
GROWING UP, I KNOW YOU THREE
YOUNG WOMEN HAVE BEEN OPEN ABOUT
THE FACT THAT YOU WERE VICTIMS
OF YOUR FATHER.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW.
THE THREE OF YOU, YOU DIDN'T
TALK ABOUT IT.
IS THAT THE CASE?
>> WELL, YEAH.
WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER WE DID NOT
TALK ABOUT IT TO EACH OTHER,
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE A CHILD
YOU DON'T HAVE THE VOCABULARY TO
TALK ABOUT IT.
ALSO YOU'RE STILL LEARNING
WHAT'S APPROPRIATE AND WHAT'S
NOT, SO YOU AREN'T ALWAYS CLEAR
WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS TO YOU IF
IT'S WRONG OR NOT.
>> RIGHT.
AND IT'S A PERSON OF TRUST SO
YOU ASSUME THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION
THAT THIS PERSON IS NOT GOING TO
HURT ME.
>> RIGHT.
EXACTLY.
>> WOULD YOU OUTSIDE OF WHAT WAS
GOING ON WITH THE ABUSE AND HIM,
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IT AS A HAPPY
CHILDHOOD?
>> THERE ARE DEFINITELY A LOT OF
HAPPY MOMENTS.
AS WE GOT OLDER AND WE STARTED
PERFORMING MORE, THE SCHEDULE
STARTED GETTING MORE RIGOROUS
AND THERE WAS A LOT MORE
PRESSURE, AND THINGS STARTED TO
DEVELOP AFTER THAT.
BUT WHEN WE WERE REALLY YOUNG, I
THINK IT WAS A VERY HAPPY
CHILDHOOD.
>> THEN YOU BECOME FAMOUS.
RIGHT?
I MEAN, YOU'RE ON AMERICA'S GOT
TALENT.
YOU GET YOUR OWN REALITY SHOW.
WAS THERE A CONSCIOUS THOUGHT AT
THAT TIME OF WE HAVE A SECRET?
I MEAN, THIS COULD COME OUT?
>> FOR ME, IT DIDN'T -- IT
WASN'T AS CONSCIOUS OF A SECRET.
IT WAS MORE OF JUST THE REALITY
OF OKAY.
WE TALK ABOUT THIS.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT
THIS.
IT WASN'T AS MUCH OF A I'M
HOLDING A SECRET BECAUSE IT WAS
NORMALIZED IN MY MIND AND LIFE.
>> ESPECIALLY WHEN WE STARTED
THE TV SHOW.
OUR DAILY LIFE STARTED FEELING
LIKE A PERFORMANCE.
WHEN YOU GET ON STAGE YOU PUT
YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD.
OUR DAILY LIFE STARTED TO FEEL
LIKE THAT AS WELL.
>> YOU GUYS, I KNOW THAT THERE
WAS PHYSICAL ABUSE OF THE YOUNG
MEN IN YOUR FAMILY INCLUDING THE
THREE OF YOU.
AND SO HOW DO YOU REMEMBER
GROWING UP THINKING ABOUT YOUR
DAD?
DO YOU REMEMBER THINKING ABOUT
HIM AS A LOVING PERSON OR AS
SOMEONE WHO WOULD HURT YOU?
>> HONESTLY, JUST BECAUSE
SOMETHING IS NORMAL DOESN'T MEAN
IT'S RIGHT.
OUR CHILDHOOD FELT NORMAL TO US,
AND ONLY SINCE WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO STEP BACK AND HAVE TIME AWAY
FROM OUR FATHER THAT WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO REALIZE THAT WE DID NOT
HAVE A NORMAL CHILDHOOD, AND IT
WAS NOT RIGHT.
>> THE ABUSE FIRST EMERGED
WITHIN THE FAMILY HOW?
HOW DID YOU GUYS FIRST START
TALKING TO EACH OTHER PUTTING
TOGETHER?
>> WELL, IN THE LATER YEARS LIKE
RIGHT BEFORE OUR DAD WAS
ARRESTED, THERE WERE -- WE WOULD
TALK ABOUT -- EVERYONE KNEW
THERE WAS SOMETHING GOING ON.
OBVIOUSLY THE PHYSICAL ABUSE AND
THINGS LIKE THAT WAS APPARENT.
THE SEXUAL ABUSE WAS SOMETHING
THAT WAS VERY SECRET, AND EACH
OF US THAT EXPERIENCED IT
EXPERIENCED IT ON OUR OWN IN
SECRET.
SO THERE WAS NEVER ANYONE ELSE
IN THE ROOM.
SO IT WAS KIND OF THIS UNSAID
THING THAT WE KNEW THERE WAS
SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON BUT WE
DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY TALK ABOUT
IT.
>> AND EVEN IF I COULD JUMP IN
QUICK, EVEN ON THE PHYSICAL
ABUSE, I DON'T THINK WE EVER
USED THOSE WORDS.
WE DIDN'T KNOW TO ATTACH THE
ACTIONS WITH THE CORRECT
TERMINOLOGY.
I THINK THAT WAS A BIG THING
THAT HELD US BACK.
>> AND A LOT OF KIDS THINK IT'S
DISCIPLINE
>>> BACK IN 2016 OUR FATHER WAS
ARRESTED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE.
>> PEOPLE WERE EVEN MORE SHOCKED
WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS
US GIRLS.
>> WHEN ALL THIS INFORMATION
FINALLY CAME TO THE SURFACE, IT
CHANGED OUR LIVES IN AN INSTANT.
>> TIN THAT MOMENT IT FELT LIKE
OUR LIVES SHATTERED.
>> WE STEPPED AWAY FROM ALL OUR
SOCIAL PLATFORMS AND TOOK TIME
TO HEAL AND PROCESS WHAT WE'D
JUST GONE THROUGH.
>> WE JUST SAID WHAT ARE WE
GOING TO DO?
HOW ARE WE GOING TO GO ON FROM
HERE?
HOW ARE WE GOING TO PUT OUR
LIVES BACK TOGETHER?
>> ABUSE AFFECTS A LOT OF AREAS
OF LIFE.
IT CAN TAKE A WHILE TO PROCESS
THROUGH THAT.
THAT'S A JOURNEY WE'RE ONLY
STARTING.
>> THOSE ARE THE CURRENT MEMBERS
OF THE WILLIS CLAN TALKING ABOUT
THE ABUSE THEY SUFFERED AT THE
HANDS OF THEIR FATHER.
I SAT THEM WITH THEM ABOUT AFTER
THE ABUSE WAS MADE PUBLIC.
>> WHAT WAS THE MOMENT?
I KNOW YOUR OLDER SISTER WHO SHE
WROTE A VERY COMPELLING ONLINE
ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO
HER AND HER OWN JOURNEY AND
DESCRIBED DEALING WITH A MONSTER
IN THE SHADOWS.
MEANING YOUR DAD SAYING OUR
FAMILY SYSTEM WAS DISTURBINGLY
SICK.
HOW DID YOU FIRST LEARN ABOUT
THAT?
WHAT GOT THE CONVERSATION GOING?
>> HONESTLY, THE FIRST TIME WE
EVER TALKED ABOUT IT OPENLY WAS
AFTER THE TBI CAME TO ONE OF OUR
SHOWS AND STARTED QUESTIONING
US.
WE AFTER THAT SHOW WHEN THEY
STARTED QUESTIONING US AND
STUFF, THEN WE STARTED LOOKING
AT EACH OTHER AND SAYING WHAT IS
ACTUALLY GOING ON HERE?
AND I CAN -- IT WAS THAT NIGHT
WAS THE MOST INTENSE NIGHT OF MY
LIFE BECAUSE I STARTED TO
REALIZE WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ALL
MY SIBLINGS AS WELL AND STARTED
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAD ACTUALLY
HAPPENED TO ME.
>> WHAT WAS THAT LIKE TALKING TO
YOUR SISTERS FOR THE FIRST TIME
AND REALIZING IT WASN'T JUST ME?
I WOULD IMAGINE THERE WOULD BE
HORROR AND THERE MIGHT BE A
LEVEL OF RELIEF TOO.
>> DEFINITELY.
DEFINITELY KNOWING THAT YOU'RE
NOT ALONE AND THIS ISN'T
SOMETHING UNIQUE, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT
CAN WALK WITH YOU THROUGH THAT
HARD TIME.
BUT THEN ALSO YEAH, JUST KNOWING
WHAT -- WHAT HAPPENED TO OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY WAS
SICKENING IN THAT WAY.
>> HOW ABOUT YOU GUYS?
WHEN YOU HEARD IT?
>> I STILL DON'T EVEN REALLY
KNOW HOW TO PROCESS IT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU
EXPECT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU
WANT, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE
HOPE NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S
EXTREMELY COMMON.
EXTREMELY COMMON, AND SO WE WANT
TO TRY WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE
DO TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT
THEY'RE NOT ALONE.
THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT CAN
HELP.
THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS.
THERE ARE PROFESSIONALS, PLACES
THAT YOU CAN CALL AND THEY CAN
GIVE YOU LEGAL ADVICE.
THEY CAN GIVE YOU MORAL SUPPORT.
WHATEVER YOU NEED.
AND WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE
CAN TO POINT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION.
>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIGURE IT
OUT ON YOUR OWN.
YOU SHOULDN'T BE EXPECTED TO.
THE WAY YOUR FATHER WAS
ORIGINALLY OUTED TO THE
TENNESSEE BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATION WAS NOT THROUGH A
FAMILY MEMBER.
IT WAS THROUGH AN OUTSIDER.
RIGHT?
WHO FILED A COMPLAINT OR A
REPORT.
DO WE KNOW WHO THAT IS?
MULTIPLE PEOPLE THAT KIND OF
TIME.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE
VERY THANKFUL FOR.
BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEM WE'RE IN,
I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY OF US WERE
IN THE POSITION TO BE ABLE TO
STEP FORWARD AND SO THERE WERE A
LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND US WHO DID
THAT FOR US THAT WE ARE SO, SO
THANKFUL THAT THEY STARTED TO
TELL CAME TO LIGHT
THAT THEIR FATHER HAD BEEN
SEXUALLY ABUSING SOME OF THEIR
DAUGHTERS.
>> JACKSON, DO YOU -- EVERYTHING
AND NOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR
DAD.
I IMAGINE YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR
MOM AND WONDERING WHAT NEXT?
WHAT QUESTIONS DID YOU HAVE FOR
YOUR PARENTS WHEN THIS STARTED
TO EMERGE?
>> WELL, IN THE MOMENT THERE WAS
SO MUCH TO PROCESS THAT I WAS
THINKING ABOUT MYSELF AND MY
YOUNGER SIBLINGS FIRST.
WHEN IT STARTED, THEY TAKE
THE -- THE AGENTS TOOK ALL THE
ADULTS SEPARATELY AND STARTED
QUESTIONING THEM AND I WAS 18 AT
THE TIME.
I WAS THE YOUNGEST ADULT AND
THEY LEFT ME WITH ALL THE KIDS,
AND I WAS LIKE AM I GOING TO SEE
MY MOM AGAIN?
AM I GOING SEE MY SIBLINGS
AGAIN.
AT THAT MOMENT I WAS WORRIED
ABOUT IF THEY WERE GOING TO COME
BACK AT ALL.
AFTER THEY DID AND AFTER SO MUCH
CAME OUT AND AFTER
INVESTIGATION, THE AGENTS FOUND
MY MOM TO BE INNOCENT AND A
FELLOW VICTIM OF THE SAME
SITUATION.
>> SHE WAS BEING FUPHYSICALLY
ABUSED BY HIM?
>> YES.
>> DO YOU BLAME YOUR MOM?
>> NOT AT ALL.
SHE WAS EVERY BIT A VICTIM AS WE
WERE.
AND AS THE YEARS LEADING UP TO
OUR DAD BEING ARRESTED, WHEN WE
TRIED TO TALK TO OUR MOM, WE
WERE NEVER VERY SPECIFIC WITH
WHAT HAPPENED.
JUST KIND OF LIKE THERE'S
SOMETHING GOING ON, AND SHE
WOULD ALWAYS TRY TO FIND OUT
INFORMATION AND SAY HOW CAN I
HELP YOU?
WHAT CAN I DO?
AND
A
AND, BUT SHE WAS ALSO A VICTIM.
SHE HAD THE SAME QUESTIONS AND
THE FEELING OF BEING ALONE, NOT
KNOWING WHAT TO DO.
WE WERE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT.
>> BEING AFRAID.
>> YEAH.
THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
THINGS.
YEAH.
>> SO YOU TURNED TO THE MUSIC.
I MEAN, YOU'RE A MUSICAL FAMILY
FROM BIRTH.
AND FAITH.
>> YEAH.
>> YOU'RE A VERY FAITHFUL
FAMILY.
I WONDERED WHEN I WAS READING
YOUR STORY, JASMINE, I WONDERED
WHETHER YOUR FAITH WAS EVER
TESTED.
WHETHER YOU EVER TESTED.
>> IT WAS TESTED BUT OUR FAITH
BROUGHT US THROUGH AND WE'RE SO
THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE THAT.
>> AND WHAT ABOUT YOU?
ARE YOU GOING TO START WRITING
MUSIC AGAIN?
WHAT WAS THE THOUGHT LIKE OF
REEMERGING PUBLICLY BECAUSE THIS
IS A PUBLIC OUTING OF YOUR DAD
AND HIS CRIMES.
>> I DO NOT WRITE MUSIC A TON.
IT WAS VERY -- I REALLY DIDN'T
KNOW IF WE WERE EVER GOING TO
COME BACK OUT.
I KIND OF FELT LIKE WE WERE KIND
OF JUST GOING TO GO DOWN AND NOT
REEMERGE AT ALL, BUT IT WAS
REALLY COOL TO GET BACK TOGETHER
AND EXPERIENCE SOMETHING WE'VE
DONE FOR SO LONG BUT IN A
TOTALLY DIFFERENT WAY.
>> WE GOT THE BAND BACK
TOGETHER.
>> GOT THE BAND BACK TOGETHER.
AND THE BAND IS ROCKING.
THE NEW ALBUM IS CALLED SPEAK MY
MIND.
IT'S 100% PERFECT.
RIGHT?
AND WHAT IS THE MESSAGE?
WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW?
>> THE ALBUM IS TO PROMOTE HOPE
AND THERE IS A LIGHT AT THE END
OF THE TUNNEL.
THERE CAN BE JOY AND LIFE AND
LOVE AFTER ANY HARD SITUATION,
AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT
SINGERS ON THE ALBUM.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT
VIEWPOINTS AND A LOT OF
DIFFERENT WRITERS, AND WE'RE
JUST SPEAKING OUR MIND.
WE'RE TELLING OUR STORY IN THE
HOPE THAT THAT MIGHT HELP
SOMEONE ELSEWHERE THE COURAGE TO
SPEAK THEIR MIND.
>> HOW ARE THE LITTLE ONES DOING
IN YOUR FAMILY?
>> THEY'RE DOING REALLY WELL.
THEY'RE NOT PART OF THE BAND
ANYMORE.
A SIX-YEAR-OLD DOESN'T NEED A
FULL-TIME JOB.
BUT THEY ARE AT HOME.
THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THE
HEALING PROCESSES A WELL.
AND FOCUSSED ON BEING KIDS.
>> AND YOU GUYS ARE WITH YOUR
MOM, STILL, BUT DO YOU HAVE
ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR DAD?
>> NOT CURRENTLY.
NO.
>> OKAY.
AND SO WE CAN HEAR YOU GUYS OUT.
YOU'RE GOING ON TOUR OR WHAT?
>> YES.
WE ARE CURRENTLY ON TOUR.
WE'RE GOING TO BE IN MICHIGAN
COMING UP.
AND EVERYWHERE.
WE'RE TOURING A TON.
BUT THE ALBUM IS OUT NOW.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT
VIEWPOINTS, AND THE ALBUM IS
KIND OF OUR JOURNEY SO FAR IN
OUR HEAL PROCESS.
>> JUST WATCHING YOU ALL
TOGETHER AND HOW LOVING YOU ARE
TOWARD ONE ANOTHER BACKSTAGE AND
OUT HERE, NOTWITHSTANDING THE
STORY YOU JUST TOLD US I CAN'T
HELP BUT LOOK AT YOU AND FEEL
HOW LUCKY YOU ARE TO HAVE EACH
OTHER AND THE LOVE YOU HAVE WITH
ONE ANOTHER.
AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE
PRESENCE OF MIND TO HOPEFULLY
PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE AND WORK
ON HEALING.
IT TAKES WORK.
>> IT'S NOT LIKE DON'T LET THIS
FOOL YOU.
WE DON'T ALWAYS GET ALONG.
>> SO YOU'RE NORMAL.
>> AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I
THINK WITH OUR TLC SHOW, THEY
DEFINITELY WANTED TO PORTRAY
THIS PICTURE OF THIS PICTURE
PERFECT FAMILY AND EVERYONE
ALWAYS GETS ALONG.
WE ARE NORMAL IN THAT SENSE.
WE HAVE TO STRUGGLE THROUGH
STUFF.
THERE'S DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND
VIEWPOINTS.
AND PEOPLE ARE AT DIFFERENT
PLACES IN THEIR LIFE.
WE'RE FINDING WAY TO WORK
TOGETHER AND --
>> BUT THERE'S LOVE AND THERE'S
FAITH.
>> YES.
ALL THE BEST TO YOU GUYS.
GOOD LUCK WITH IT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING