There are times in life when events so horrific occur that they shock the entire nation. Sometimes, individuals who commit killing sprees attract the attention of an entire community or country with a common unanswered question: Why? John Wayne Gacy was one of those individuals who came to the attention of our nation's Midwest, just outside of Chicago, Illinois, with the murder of 33 young men and boys. Looking at Gacy's life as a killer, we see no one. incident that triggered the serial killer inside. Gacy, however, had many minor problems in his life as a young child that could have led him down a bad path. Gacy was born in March 1942, in the city of Chicago. Gacy had, for the most part, a normal childhood in a decent home. His father was a blue-collar worker who worked in a factory and had problems with alcoholism and verbal abuse towards his children. On some occasions, his father would beat his children with a leather bracelet as punishment, which in my eyes may have bordered on physical abuse. Looking at the horrific events committed by Gacy during his killing spree of the 33 known people he murdered, there is one alarming fact: he has integrated into society and the community quite well. He had a pretty normal daily social life and nothing would stand out from a first meeting with Gacy. As I learn about Gacy and his family, I discover some things about his life that will later come to light after he is arrested for the murders. One thing would be confusion in his sexuality as a child. He prefers to help his mother with things like gardening, washing dishes and other things that do not seem masculine in his father's eyes. One of Gacy's childhood friends made a statement ... middle of paper ... theorizing that serial killers have brain damage or other biological abnormalities that contribute to their actions. Damage to areas such as the frontal lobe, hypothalamus, and limbic system can contribute to extreme aggression, loss of control, loss of judgment, and violence. Henry Lee Lucas, who was convicted of 11 murders, had extreme brain damage in these areas, likely the result of childhood abuse, malnutrition and alcoholism. Arthur Shawcross, another 11-time serial killer, suffered multiple brain injuries, including two skull fractures. In prison, he suffered from headaches and often lost consciousness. Bobby Joe Long, convicted of nine murders, at one point said, "After I die, they're going to cut my head open and find out that, just like we said, part of my brain is black and dry." and death" [source: Scott].