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Damaged: After the coma, after the headlines, the story of a family
Damaged is a story of survivor's guilt coupled with resentment tempered by love. It reveals the changing dynamics of a family faced with an injury no one could heal.
Nancy Klein was in the first trimester of her second pregnancy when she made headlines as "Coma Mom." This intimate memoir, written by Klein's sister, reveals all that happened to her and her family after the news cycle moved on.
The a mother who never gave up hope, even when hope was long gone, and a father who couldn't live without his wife's love. A brother who devoted himself to their happiness, which could never be restored. A sister, the author, who was still recovering from a childhood trauma caused by the parents she loved.
This book is for every woman who has ever been blamed for something a man did to her, for every girl who grew up feeling ashamed. It is for every mother who gave herself so completely to one child’s needs, she lost sight of everyone else, including herself. It is for every daughter who wanted to rescue her mother, and failed. It is for all the forgotten family members.
Nancy Klein was in the first trimester of her second pregnancy when she made headlines as "Coma Mom." This intimate memoir, written by Klein's sister, reveals all that happened to her and her family after the news cycle moved on.
The a mother who never gave up hope, even when hope was long gone, and a father who couldn't live without his wife's love. A brother who devoted himself to their happiness, which could never be restored. A sister, the author, who was still recovering from a childhood trauma caused by the parents she loved.
This book is for every woman who has ever been blamed for something a man did to her, for every girl who grew up feeling ashamed. It is for every mother who gave herself so completely to one child’s needs, she lost sight of everyone else, including herself. It is for every daughter who wanted to rescue her mother, and failed. It is for all the forgotten family members.
291 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2022
244 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 23, 2022
My review seems to have disappeared. Suffice it to say that I did not care for this book.
March 13, 2023
This is tough to review as I’ve been the one whose health changed a family. Compelling, interesting study of trauma, but also uneven. The book begins as a tirade against pro-life activists who forced a court case, but then really becomes anger at her parents and sister, and in the case of her sister, it’s things the author agrees her sister can’t control. But even as she writes that, it really comes off as she thinks her sister is manipulating the situation. And apparently the author is the only one in the family who has done all the right things and made no mistakes, so, yeah, a little smug.
December 28, 2022
Could not get the real point of the story, except what happened to the author at ten years old. The tragedy of Nancy is a common story to many families. However, that doesn’t make it any less of a tragedy.
September 9, 2023
This book was poorly written and very repetitive. It also showed how jealous the author was of her sister. She also complained endlessly about how her mother wasted her life by caring for her injured daughter. She comes off as very heartless.
July 5, 2023
Such a riveting read, a family tragic accident that impacts the family dynamics over decades.
January 14, 2024
This is a story that will pull you in and you will feel emotions with the characters, it is an incredible story, one you will not want to forget.
February 2, 2023
I could relate to this story and was awed with the authors understanding and forgiveness.
March 4, 2026
Damaged: After the coma, after the headlines, the story of a family by Janet Smuga is a deeply intimate memoir that examines what happens to a family long after a public tragedy fades from the spotlight.
At the center of the story is Nancy Klein, who became known to the public as “Coma Mom,” but the book deliberately shifts the focus away from the media narrative to the quieter, more complicated emotional aftermath experienced by those closest to her. Rather than retelling a headline-driven story, Smuga explores the lasting ripple effects of trauma within a family forced to navigate grief, responsibility, resentment, and love all at once.
One of the most powerful elements of the memoir is its honesty about the complexity of family relationships. Each member of the family carries their own burden: a mother refusing to abandon hope, a father whose life was intertwined with his wife’s presence, a brother sacrificing himself for the family’s fragile stability, and the author herself confronting unresolved wounds from childhood while trying to process a tragedy that reshaped everyone’s lives.
What makes Damaged particularly compelling is its willingness to confront uncomfortable truths how tragedy can expose fractures that already existed, how guilt and love can coexist, and how certain emotional injuries cannot simply be repaired with time. The book gives voice not only to the person at the center of the tragedy, but also to the often-overlooked family members who are left carrying the emotional aftermath.
Raw, reflective, and deeply human, Damaged is ultimately a story about the invisible scars families live with when life changes in an instant.
At the center of the story is Nancy Klein, who became known to the public as “Coma Mom,” but the book deliberately shifts the focus away from the media narrative to the quieter, more complicated emotional aftermath experienced by those closest to her. Rather than retelling a headline-driven story, Smuga explores the lasting ripple effects of trauma within a family forced to navigate grief, responsibility, resentment, and love all at once.
One of the most powerful elements of the memoir is its honesty about the complexity of family relationships. Each member of the family carries their own burden: a mother refusing to abandon hope, a father whose life was intertwined with his wife’s presence, a brother sacrificing himself for the family’s fragile stability, and the author herself confronting unresolved wounds from childhood while trying to process a tragedy that reshaped everyone’s lives.
What makes Damaged particularly compelling is its willingness to confront uncomfortable truths how tragedy can expose fractures that already existed, how guilt and love can coexist, and how certain emotional injuries cannot simply be repaired with time. The book gives voice not only to the person at the center of the tragedy, but also to the often-overlooked family members who are left carrying the emotional aftermath.
Raw, reflective, and deeply human, Damaged is ultimately a story about the invisible scars families live with when life changes in an instant.
March 25, 2023
Tragedy, trials, truth and triumph
I loved this author's honesty and bravery. I am in awe of her ability to see her family members' quirks and shortcomings while finding enough love to persevere through the crush of unspeakable tragedy.
As a country woman, I was impressed with this family's life in the big cities, and almost felt like I haven't really lived at all by comparison. All the air travel, hotels, busy venues!
Yet, the thing that underpins this family and binds their lives so impossibly close is tragedy.
Told from the perspective of the "other daughter" whose childhood bore a scar that, while marking her for life, in the end forced her to find strength. She is a survivor, thanks in no small part to her amazing husband.
Janet Smuga is a writer who will capture you with a well-written story that, while spanning decades, becomes the current moment with each riveting chapter. Simply said, I loved this book!
I loved this author's honesty and bravery. I am in awe of her ability to see her family members' quirks and shortcomings while finding enough love to persevere through the crush of unspeakable tragedy.
As a country woman, I was impressed with this family's life in the big cities, and almost felt like I haven't really lived at all by comparison. All the air travel, hotels, busy venues!
Yet, the thing that underpins this family and binds their lives so impossibly close is tragedy.
Told from the perspective of the "other daughter" whose childhood bore a scar that, while marking her for life, in the end forced her to find strength. She is a survivor, thanks in no small part to her amazing husband.
Janet Smuga is a writer who will capture you with a well-written story that, while spanning decades, becomes the current moment with each riveting chapter. Simply said, I loved this book!
February 15, 2024
The author tells the story of her sister, Nancy, as well as her own childhood. The focus of the book is on Nancy after she is involved in a serious car accident that leaves her brain damaged and unable to walk. The story moves a long at a slow pace, often repeating the same things. This could be because that's all Nancy really knows now: repeating the same things because she forgot she ever said things. It looks at the quandary families find themselves in one member needs 24 hour care. Here, the main caregiver is the author's mom, who loves her daughter and believes she is the only one who can give the right care. But what will happen to Nancy once her mom dies? It's a question wrestled with throughout the book.
August 10, 2023
Sadness
This is a tragic story of a family's way they coped following a car accident that left a daughter and sister to deal with and overcome the sadness of taking care of a very handicapped adult.. It is a can't put it down book
This is a tragic story of a family's way they coped following a car accident that left a daughter and sister to deal with and overcome the sadness of taking care of a very handicapped adult.. It is a can't put it down book
March 14, 2024
Good read for reflection
Well written, well explained. Gives inside look beyond the headlines of a tragedy. Begs the question of how much autonomy vs making better, more realistic workable choices.
Well written, well explained. Gives inside look beyond the headlines of a tragedy. Begs the question of how much autonomy vs making better, more realistic workable choices.
January 14, 2025
Pleasantly surprised!
I came across this book as I was looking through some Kindle choices. I read the entire book in one day. I felt it was very well written and I could personally relate to the authors relationship with her mother .
I came across this book as I was looking through some Kindle choices. I read the entire book in one day. I felt it was very well written and I could personally relate to the authors relationship with her mother .
March 24, 2023
Good read!
Enjoyed the book very much. Makes you realise what you can do for love of family. Emotional and thought provoking.
Enjoyed the book very much. Makes you realise what you can do for love of family. Emotional and thought provoking.
September 10, 2023
Anazing
This story leads the reader to understand brain damaged people and the strain it causes their families. It does drag on but the overall affect make sense.
This story leads the reader to understand brain damaged people and the strain it causes their families. It does drag on but the overall affect make sense.
April 12, 2024
A touching memoir. The author, who writes about the lives of a family touched by a person with a severe disability, tells her (long) story of the day-to-day in a thoughtful reflective way.
April 14, 2024
It was truly a sad story, in the beginning did she really have to bring up abortion just to get attention, it was not necessary to say anything, the baby didn't kill her.
July 25, 2024
Heartfelt but depressing
The author writes well. But the tragedy throughout the book is depressing. A look at a fight against helplessness. A story of trying for salvation.
The author writes well. But the tragedy throughout the book is depressing. A look at a fight against helplessness. A story of trying for salvation.
December 4, 2024
I admire Janet for writing this book and it shows what happens after the severely handicapped person goes home. There were times when I felt it was more about Janet and how she coped with her handicapped sister but I certainly would never want to walk in her shoes.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews