Mary O'Sullivan

Lazarus Heart: Coming Back to Life from PTSD Mary O'Sullivan

Mary, a caseworker at an agency for intellectually challenged people, meets her new client Chris, whose family wants to put him in a group home. As she gets to know him, Mary begins to question Chris's diagnosis. Even as his life circumstances appear to improve, with a job and a new home, Chris seems to get worse. After a series of disasters, including a suicide attempt, leave him homeless, Mary takes Chris to stay with her family temporarily. That's when the memories come pouring out.

This true story provides a unique view of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), both from the perspective of a sexual abuse victim recovering the memories of his experiences and from the day-to-day observations of the person helping him through it. This grim topic is addressed with love, courage, and even humour, and Chris's journey to recovery offers insights into the effects of PTSD and the strategies for dealing with its symptoms. Lazarus Heart is a finalist for the 2020 Whistler Independent Books Awards.