SARASOTA, Fla., January 23, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- "Vacany" (now available through 1stBooks Library), by Linda Lee Berndt, stands as a testament of one mother's love and her agonizing heartbreak at the passing of her son. It cries out in a mother's anguish for a son she thought she knew. She held on to her faith and her trust in God to get her through this, the biggest trial of her life. She prayed He would be with her every step of the way, to hold her up and to keep her strong when she knew she would falter.
Her son was a happy child until he was diagnosed at 24 with having a depression problem known as Bipolar Disorder. He did not like how his prescribed medication made him feel, so he refused to take it after a while. He'd come out of a long relationship that produced a son. He was having a terrible time of adjusting without that life. He struggled so hard to let go of that relationship, but it seemed in the end he could not.
There was no one to help him or protect him on that last fatal night. He ultimately substituted illegal drugs to help him deal with his pain. In writing this book, the author hopes that others, especially mothers who have have lost a child in any way, will find some solace and comfort in her words and in identifying with her in their own grieving and lamentations.
She and her son had plans to write a children's book together. He was a gifted artist. With her collection of prose and poems and with his collection of poetry that was discovered after his passing, they certainly are together in this book.
Finally, in the third chapter of this book, she displays her program to save a life and be a real friend and Good Samaritan, and how it can positively change a troubled life. She has talked to kids in schools and in church groups to try to make a difference. The author wants to reach out to others who have lost a child and maybe give some kind of hope to them and share some of her healing moments.
Linda Lee Berndt was born in New Jersey and moved to the south ten years ago. She is the mother of two grown children (one now deceased) and the proud grandmother of two young boys.
She has written poems almost all her life and has been awarded "Editors Choice" for one of her poems online and has some of her other poems published in an anthology. She is working on her next project, which will be a children's book.
Mrs. Berndt resides in Florida with her husband, Frank and her daughter, Daniella and grandson, Joey. She also lives with her beloved pets, two dogs, a cat and two rats. Her other grandson, Kino comes to visit often.
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