Child with a Broken Heart

In 1983, Aces small, five-year-old world consisted mostly of Michael Jackson songs coming in full of static on a small kitchen radio as his mother cooked. He assumed that the frequent beatings meted out to him and his mother by his fathera man who was all vodka and venomwere all part of a normal, picture-perfect family. Labeled a sissy by his father, Ace was a prime target for the frequent tirades.Trapped: A Child with a Broken Heart shares gut-wrenching stories of Aces family, which included his domineering and drunk father; his mother, who was too afraid to leave; and a little sister who somehow escaped the torment. Left to do battle with real-life monsters, Ace made his way through school stumbling two steps behind as he navigated a never-ending barrage of bullies, questions, and sexual uncertainty. Still, he dreamed about getting ahead. Far from a traditional hero, he attempted to save himself.In this personal narrative, one man recalls his powerful journey from boy to not-quite man. It is a story about hope and about how the choices one makes can help make life better.