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  • My Mysterious Son

  • A Life-Changing Passage Between Schizophrenia and Shamanism
  • By: Dick Russell
  • Narrated by: Mirron Willis
  • Length: 16 hrs and 45 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (3 ratings)

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My Mysterious Son

By: Dick Russell
Narrated by: Mirron Willis
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Publisher's Summary

What does a father do when hope is gone that his only son can ever lead anything close to a "normal" life? That's the question that haunted Dick Russell in the fall of 2011, when his son, Franklin, was 32. At the age of 17, Franklin had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. For years he spent time in and out of various hospitals, and even went through periods of adamantly denying that Dick was actually his father. A mixed-race child, Franklin was handsome, intelligent, and sensitive until his mental illness suddenly took control. After spending the ensuing years trying to build some semblance of a normal father-son relationship, Dick was invited with his son, out of the blue, to witness the annual wildlife migration on Africa's Serengeti Plain. Seizing this potential opportunity to repair the damage that both had struggled with, after going through two perilous nights together in Tanzania, ultimately the two-week trip changed both of their lives.

Desperately seeking an alternative to the medical model's medication regimen, the author introduces Franklin to a West African shaman in Jamaica. Dick discovers Franklin's psychic capabilities behind the seemingly delusional thought patterns, as well as his artistic talents. Theirs becomes an ancestral quest, the journey finally taking them to the sacred lands of New Mexico and an indigenous healer. For those who understand the pain of mental illness as well the bond between a parent and a child, My Mysterious Son shares the intimate and beautiful story of a father who will do everything in his power to repair his relationship with a young man damaged by mental illness.

©2014 Dick Russell (P)2014 Audible Inc.

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Extraordinary

This moving book taught me so much about the inner lives of people whose brains work in different ways than mine. It also taught me about parenting through the stages of the parent/child relationship; from dependency to independence, and about Franklin’s parents incredible dedication to their son’s wellbeing at all costs. I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.