I met him when I was 18, and it started in a way that felt almost ordinary for that stage of life.

During National Stalking Awareness Month, the Gabby Petito Foundation is honored to spotlight advocates who have transformed personal harm into protection for others. Lenora Claire is one of those advocates.

Stalking is more than isolated incidents. It’s a pattern of repeated behavior that causes fear, intrusion, and loss of autonomy. Yet because many stalking behaviors begin subtly, people often dismiss them as persistence, affection, or normal relationship interest. Recognizing stalking early, especially when it’s not yet extreme, can save lives.

Breakups are emotional. People reach out, try to get closure, or struggle to let go, and that’s normal. But sometimes, what feels like a “messy breakup” is actually something more serious: a pattern of behavior that crosses into stalking.

Technology has made it easier than ever to stay connected, find lost items, and share our locations with people we trust. But those same tools can be misused to monitor, control, and silently follow someone without their consent. This kind of behavior is often called digital stalking or technology-facilitated abuse, and it can be deeply frightening and disorienting.