By Daniel Goodwyn – The Gateway Pundit Guest Contributor
Jennie Heinl once lived what many would call an ordinary American life. She had a stable job at the VA, a blended family she loved, and a husband who worked for the FBI. She was a proud mother of two sons, owned a newly built home in Pennsylvania, and spent her days working hard and enjoying family dinners.
Then came January 6th, 2021.
Jennie didn’t plan to be a political activist. She simply wanted to attend what she thought would be a peaceful rally in support of President Trump—“maybe the last time I’d see him,” she recalled. Like thousands of other Americans, she made the trip to Washington, D.C., with close friends. What followed was a chain of events that would unravel her entire life.
Today, Jennie is seeking help through her GiveSendGo fundraiser as she continues the long road of rebuilding after being politically persecuted.
Support Jennie Heinl here: GiveSendGo.com/jennieheinl
A Walk Through an Open Door Changed Everything
Jennie describes the moment she entered the Capitol as surreal. After being tear-gassed on the Capitol grounds, she recalls collapsing near the scaffolding. “A police officer was handing out water,” she remembers. “He allowed us to go inside. I didn’t think twice… the police were letting people in.”
Jennie stayed in the crypt area, even chatting with officers. No one told her to leave. Doors were open, officers were present, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. “I figured since the police were letting us in, it was permitted.”
But back home, her husband Mike—a contractor for the FBI—was under pressure. He turned her in. He later filed for divorce, telling her he was “no longer permitted to be married to [her].” She was served with multiple federal charges and eventually took a plea deal that was altered after she signed it.
Her punishment? Loss of her career, her marriage, her reputation—and jail time.
Targeted, Punished, and Abandoned
Jennie was arrested in March 2021 by the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force at her home in Pennsylvania. “They took my Trump hats, clothes, phone—everything,” she said. “I was handcuffed and treated like a terrorist.”
In April 2021, she was fired from her longtime job at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The legal costs piled up, and like many other January 6ers, she was advised to take a plea. Jennie pled guilty to a single misdemeanor count of “Parading or Demonstrating in a Capitol Building.” After the plea was signed, prosecutors added jail time because they felt she “wasn’t apologetic enough.” Jennie ended up serving her sentence in short stints at a local jail—intermittent incarceration that allowed her to continue caring for her seriously ill son.
A Mother’s Unimaginable Loss
In December 2022, tragedy struck Jennie’s family in a way that eclipsed even the weight of federal prosecution. Her son, Ellis, passed away from an overdose of fentanyl-laced kratom. The supplement—sold over the counter—had been marketed as a natural remedy, but it ultimately cost Ellis his life.
Jennie was able to be by his side during his final days because of the flexible jail terms she negotiated, one of the only blessings in a dark time.
Adding to her pain was the absence of support from those closest to her. Ellis struggled deeply with the absence of support from those he once considered close family. The weight of that loss—of being cut off from his own family—was a pain he carried quietly, and one Jennie says was made heavier by everything that had happened since January 6.
Still Standing—and Still Fighting
Despite the betrayals, grief, and personal destruction, Jennie hasn’t given up. She’s been working remotely in credentialing since September 2021 thanks to a stranger who heard her story and offered her a job. Her younger son, Donato, is now 17 and thriving at a private hockey school.
But Jennie is still trying to recover from the financial, emotional, and reputational ruin brought by what she calls a “bogus” prosecution. Her GiveSendGo fundraiser is a lifeline that could help her maintain stability and prepare for the next chapter.
“I’m still in disbelief that my entire life, my world and my family would be flipped upside down—all because I walked into the Capitol building to warm up on Jan 6, through an open door held by officers.”
Jennie’s story, like so many others, speaks to the human cost of the Biden regime’s relentless political witch hunt. These are not insurrectionists—they are mothers, fathers, veterans, employees, and neighbors. They are Americans who were swept up in a moment, then hung out to dry.
Help Jennie Rebuild
Jennie has paid an unthinkable price: the death of her son, the collapse of her marriage, the loss of her career, and public humiliation. She has stayed sober, stayed out of self-pity, and kept working to support her family.
Now, she needs your help.
Please consider donating to her GiveSendGo today. Every contribution helps her and her surviving son Donato take another step forward.
Donate to Help Jennie HERE
If Jennie’s story moves you, remember—there are dozens more just like her. StopHate.com has compiled a list of verified fundraisers to support J6ers across the country. Visit StopHate.com/SHDOD to find more patriots in need.
But today, let’s start with Jennie.
She walked through an open door, and they tried to erase her life. Help her build something new. Keep her in prayer and Support Jennie Heinl now
Daniel Goodwyn is a Christian, J6er, and activist. He knows firsthand how important it is to lift up those the regime tried to silence. He has a background doing pro-life, free speech, and election integrity activism. He was a J6 political hostage, released in August of 2023 and pardoned in January of 2025. Daniel has been on with Tucker Carlson discussing the topic of political hostages in the United States. He has worked on five documentary films on this topic and has assisted a number of legal teams with the review of film footage, as well as being part of David Sumrall’s StopHate.com team. DanielGoodwyn.com
The post She Lost Everything But Her Spirit: Help J6 Patriot Jennie Heinl Rebuild Her Life appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.