Mary Burns (3)

Julie Summers' Bookshelf

Saving Eric
Mary Burns
Austin Macauley Publishers
https://www.austinmacauley.com
9781645750994 $10.95 pbk / $4.50 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Eric-Mary-Burns/dp/1645750981

Synopsis: Mary's nightmare began when her seven-year-old adopted son inexplicably screamed before dinner one night. From that point on, her son's struggle became her struggle. Mental and physical illness, along with drug addiction, turned her life upside down. The love Mary had for her son, though, never waned as she desperately tried to save him from his demons.

Critique: Saving Eric is the harrowing, true-life story of author Mary Burns' desperate efforts to save her son, who suffered grievously from mental illness and drug addiction. Her candid testimony spares no details of the day-by-day pain, setbacks, and perseverance. Saving Eric will speak to anyone who has endured the ongoing trauma of caring for loved one devastated by severe mental illness or substance abuse. Saving Eric also acknowledges that there are no guarantees in life, no matter how much love one has is one's heart, no matter how hard one labors. Profound, heartrending, and unforgettable, Saving Eric is highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Saving Eric is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.50).

Editorial Note: Mary Burns is a mother of three, a teacher, and has become involved in addiction advocacy since her son's death. She helped spearhead a walk called Changing the Face of Addiction, to help change the stigma of addiction. She has also brought her advocacy to her local state senator and addressed the New Jersey Senate Budget Appropriations Committee about the need for a change to the addiction treatment protocol. She was honored as an Advocacy Leader in 2017 by the New Jersey chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

Julie Summers
Reviewer… (mere)