breaking away, patrick osullivan

by Gare B. Joyce

Unknown Binding

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about abuse, a kid with skills, a natural gift, and he would make it into the NHL.

However, it is also a disturbing story of the horrific abuse he suffered at the hands of not only of his father; but his mother, too, who failed to protect him, by looking the other way. The NHL too, also failed to protect this young player, along with assistant coaches, along with ALL the other hockey parents who witnessed the verbal abuse during games.....these parents would have known instinctually......that the way Patrick was being treated was wrong, it was abuse...but they too failed to report this to authorities!

This is also a story of courage, struggles and hope. I would hope that anyone who has children in organized sports read this book . But most importantly, each and everyone of us need to speak up to the authorities!!
A very sad read, we as a society failed this young man.

I wish Patrick O'Sullivan well, a young man with true courage who I hope will triumph and be successful.

[Jason Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
Words cannot describe how crazy Patrick’s life and story is...
Loved this book, pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down!
A must read for any sports fan!

[Patricia McAlexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently saw my first hockey game and found it thrilling; then someone recommended I read Breaking Away. This true story of a crazy father’s abuse of his young son to make him into a tough NHL hockey player was indeed harrowing, as the book’s blurb says—but the word does not even convey how horrible the years of abuse were (making him run after the father’s car in the snow after a game, waking him up to do pushups in the middle of the night, being regularly beaten, socially isolated, and much more—an unimaginable nightmare). How could the child even have survived physically? He must have been a very talented hockey player—people seem agreed without the abuse, supposedly to toughen him, he would have been even better and could have had a longer NHL career. And then the psychological damage! Abusers often grow up to be abusers, but Patrick, who escaped at age 16 after 10 years of this, has PTSD to be sure, but he is now a force for good, writing and speaking to stop “over-involved” parents’ abuse of young athletes. And he has a beautiful family, is a good husband and father—almost a miracle. I heard him speak on a podcast; he speaks well, with little or no bad language (like his hosts), stays on point, is obviously very intelligent. I’m sure readers cringe as they read of his experiences and breathe a sigh of relief to learn of his situation now, but for me, his story still leaves scars. And that is probably good. (I don't think this review has spoilers, as most people already know about Patrick O'Sullivan.)