A Cry for Help: The Tracey Thurman Story 1989

Tracey Thurman, Nancy McKeon, is rushed to the hospital after a brutal attack by her estranged husband, Buck Thurman, Dale Midkiff, leaving her body battered and her life upended in an instant.

An extended flashback retraces how Tracey and Buck first met in Florida, where Buck appears to be charming at first but soon reveals a volatile temper. He openly shares the traumatic stories of his own childhood, including abuse by his mother, and he spirals into anger that erupts in violent outbursts toward Tracey. Despite the danger, she tries to navigate the complexity of love and fear, and even learns she is pregnant with his child. The moment Buck lashes out—punching Tracey in the face and kicking her during pregnancy—shocks the audience and sets the course for years of fear. Tracey ultimately returns to Torrington, Connecticut, seeking safety, and stays with friends as Buck relentlessly pursues her, repeatedly testing her resolve.

Tracey’s decision to leave Buck becomes a turning point. After she moves back to Torrington, Buck tracks her down and insinuates himself into her life again, telling her he has found a job at a diner. Tracey refuses to resume the relationship, makes it clear that she wants space, and tries to protect her son, C.J. In a tense confrontation, Buck abruptly takes C.J. and exits the scene, prompting Tracey to call the police. The officers locate Buck, who is briefly detained, and Buck is clocked out and taken into custody; the situation becomes a high-stakes test about whether Tracey can secure safety for herself and her child.

Tracey pursues a formal divorce, and she is awarded custody of C.J. with Buck barred from seeing him for the time being. Yet Buck’s harassment doesn’t end after the separation. As Tracey tries to move forward, Buck continues to threaten her, and she seeks protection through a restraining order. The police, however, repeatedly hesitate to intervene, noting they have not witnessed Buck’s threats or outright violence, which leaves Tracey feeling increasingly vulnerable as she navigates a system that seems slow to respond.

After the divorce is finalized, Buck resurfaces, and Tracey again asks for help from law enforcement, hoping that authorities will witness his intimidation. She hides inside her home while Buck pressures her to reverse the divorce, escalating the danger. When a police officer finally arrives, the confrontation erupts into a brutal assault: Buck pulls a knife and stabs Tracey repeatedly, slashing her face and throat, while he enters the home and seizes C.J. Tracey lies bleeding as Buck continues to attack, kicking and stomping at her body as more officers finally arrive and Buck is arrested. Tracey is rushed to the hospital once more, this time with devastating injuries that will change the course of her life.

In the hospital, Tracey’s fight continues in a different realm. Her lawyer, Burton Weinstein, Bruce Weitz, joins her sister to discuss a civil lawsuit against the Torrington police department for failing to protect her. Tracey endures months of rehabilitation, relearning to walk and rebuild a life she barely recognizes. The court case intensifies the struggle for accountability, as the civil proceedings argue that Tracey’s rights were violated and that the police failed to provide adequate protection. Buck’s sentence is handed down—twenty years in prison with the possibility of parole in 1991—offering a grim sense of partial justice while leaving Tracey with lingering fears about his parole and potential return.

Throughout the civil suit, Weinstein helps keep Tracey focused on achieving accountability and compensation. The jury ultimately sides with Tracey, awarding approximately $2.3 million in damages, a landmark moment in acknowledging state accountability for failed protection. A permanent restraining order is granted, ensuring Buck cannot contact Tracey or C.J. for the rest of their lives. The emotional closing scene finds Tracey embracing Weinstein, a quiet acknowledgment of resilience amid the long battle for safety and recognition.

In real life, Tracey Thurman went on to remarry, and the legal outcomes allowed for Buck to be restricted from contact with C.J. and Tracey, shaping a hopeful, if still cautious, path forward for the family. The film preserves this outcome as its core message: the fight for safety, accountability, and the courage to rebuild after a brutal act of violence.