By Cheryl Lee Latter

From South Bend To North Bend – My Twin Peaks Trip Across the US

Like many, I discovered Twin Peaks when I was a young teenager. From the first moment of the Pilot, I knew I was home. This was my world.

Cheryl is not a common name in the UK, and certainly wasn’t in the 80s. I never found my name on keyrings or cups or pencils like my friends did. I wanted to be a writer or an actress and planned to use the name Cheryl Lee as I thought it was nice and unique.

After discovering Twin Peaks, I sat down to watch the next episode so excited to listen to this new story speak to me. And then I saw this on the screen and knew it was meant to be. And not only Sheryl, but also Sherilyn! This was my show.

So I feel an affinity with this lady who shares my name. I get asked if my name is fake very often. I get messages from people thinking I am her. It’s a bit weird.

I love to meet the actors and see their weird responses when I tell them my name (see, Dana, it’s Fate. We’re meant to be’)

More than that, Fire Walk With Me kept me alive for a big part of my teens. Like many, I now see myself as a grown-up Laura, a survivor.

I always wanted a ‘to Cheryl Lee from Sheryl Lee’ signature. I thought that might be cute. And I got it last year, thanks to my amazing friend Jill, who not only got me a signed secret diary, but also got Sheryl to record a video for me.

But a huge part of this trip was to finally meet Sheryl for myself. Everyone told me she was an angel, and that it would be a completely uplifting experience, and they were right.

It was important for me to thank her for helping so many of my friends, and for, through her work and her own self, helping so many people, and helping to keep so many of them alive. So many of the people I love wouldn’t be here without Laura, and without Sheryl.

I got her to sign my original Secret Diary I’ve carried around with me for 30 years. It means everything.

She told me I’m beautiful, and that I am ‘a shining light,’ and if Sheryl said it, then it’s true, right?? She wasn’t doing hugs because of viruses, but she held my shoulders and said, ‘I’m giving you the biggest hug right now!’

When we were leaving, we called out to each other across the crowd, ‘bye Cheryl’, ‘bye Sheryl’, ‘so good to meet you, Cheryl’, ‘friends for life now, Sheryl!’

In the evening, we were front row to see the cast and watch Fire Walk With Me. It was my third time seeing it on the big screen, but was lovely to see the reactions of so many watching for the first time. If anything, I love the film even more now.

It really was worth the trip alone just to finally meet Sheryl. She makes everyone feel so treasured. The stories are true. She really is an angel.