Imagine growing up in the serene wilderness of Montana, where the quiet is only broken by rustling trees and distant birdsong. Now, imagine discovering that your eccentric neighbor—just over the hill—was not a harmless recluse, but Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber.
This was the horrifying reality for Jaime Gehring, who recounts her upbringing beside one of the most notorious domestic terrorists in American history. Her memoir, Madman in the Woods, pulls back the curtain on what it was really like living next to the Unabomber—long before the rest of the world knew who he truly was.
The Friendly Stranger with a Hidden Agenda
To young Jaime, “Teddy” was odd but not dangerous. He rarely spoke, kept to himself, and occasionally left her painted rocks and handmade trinkets.
“It was one of the hardest things to reconcile,” Gehring admits. “One moment, he was painting a rock for me; the next, he was building bombs.”
Kaczynski’s duality—a soft-spoken neighbor with the heart of a cold-blooded killer—would become one of the most disturbing realizations of her adult life.
Her father, wary of Kaczynski’s gifts, buried the painted rocks deep on their land, where they still remain—haunting relics of a twisted past.
Growing Uneasy: The Darkness That Lurked Next Door
As Gehring aged, Kaczynski’s appearance and behavior became increasingly disturbing. His clothes tattered, skin smudged with soot, fingernails caked in dirt—his presence began to feel less eccentric and more threatening.
“He would knock just to ask the time. I would hide in the closet until he left.”
Her family sensed something was off, but without proof, they chalked it up to an odd past. They had no idea they were living beside a man responsible for 16 bombings, three deaths, and over 20 injuries between 1978 and 1995.
When Innocence Meets Evil: The Dog, the Gun, and the Journals
Gehring now believes Kaczynski poisoned her childhood dog, Wiley. Even worse, she learned that he had once pointed a gun at her stepmother and younger sister—an incident they only discovered decades later after reading his journals.
“There were nights I just broke down while writing,” she confesses. “He called his victims ‘experiments.’ The hate in his words was terrifying.”
It was a harrowing realization that her family could easily have been among his targets.
When the Truth Emerged: A Father’s Unthinkable Task
As the FBI closed in, they contacted Gehring’s father with a stunning request: monitor and record his neighbor, Ted Kaczynski, without alerting anyone—not even his wife.
“My dad kept saying, ‘No way, not Teddy.’ But the evidence was undeniable.”
For weeks, he pretended everything was normal—while living next to a serial bomber. He even helped prepare for the FBI raid on the infamous cabin that would end Kaczynski’s reign of terror.
The secrecy and pressure were unimaginable. But it helped bring a monster to justice.
A Memoir Written in Tears and Courage
In Madman in the Woods, Gehring doesn’t just explore Kaczynski’s crimes—she tells the story of how those crimes impacted her family, her sense of safety, and her understanding of evil.
“True crime is often consumed as entertainment. But for me, it was real. And it left scars.”
Her journey through fear, grief, and eventual healing is a testament to the resilience of those who live in the shadows of monsters.
Trusting Instinct Over Appearance
One of the most important lessons Gehring learned?
“Trust your gut. And trust children when they say something feels wrong.”
As a child, she felt unease around Kaczynski—but those feelings were often dismissed. Looking back, she now knows that sometimes the most important warning signs come from within.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ted Kaczynski?
Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber, was a domestic terrorist who killed three people and injured 23 others through a series of bombings between 1978 and 1995.
Did Jaime Gehring know who the Unabomber was while growing up?
No. She knew him only as “Teddy,” an odd but seemingly harmless neighbor in Montana.
How did the FBI discover Kaczynski’s identity?
Kaczynski’s brother, David, recognized his writing in the published manifesto and alerted the FBI. This led to surveillance and his eventual arrest.
What’s the name of Jaime Gehring’s memoir?
Madman in the Woods: Life Next Door to the Unabomber.
Did Gehring’s family ever suspect Kaczynski?
They found him odd but never imagined he was capable of murder—until the FBI confirmed it.
What is Gehring’s message in her book?
To trust instincts, especially in children, and to recognize that evil can live closer than we think.