Brief

A woman who had to grow up too fast reflects back on what it was like living with her troubled mother and uses her faith to cope with the mental illness that has touched her family.

What We Liked

- The personal nature of the story provides insight into the life of the author and shines on a light on mental illness and how it affects real families.
- Expanding this into a deep character study of Red and her daughter’s tumultuous life together could be adapted into a feature.
- The story of Red and Terry could be part of a television documentary or docu-drama about those suffering with mental illness and their loved ones. It could also be incorporated into a faith based television project.
- Key points: Based on a real family; Brings awareness of mental illness; Strong female leads; Partially faith-based; Positive ending

Synopsis

Terry was born when her mother, Red, was sixteen years old. Her father was not in the picture and Red married a man named John, who became Terry’s stepfather. Red soon had a baby brother and they often went hungry because John had a gambling problem and they couldn’t afford to buy food. John also suffered from mental illness and was frequently in and out of mental hospitals. When Terry was seven years old her life reached an unfortunate turning point. Red was about to give birth to her third child when she started hearing voices in her head that weren’t there. Frightened after recognizing something was really wrong with her mom, Terry called her Grandmother for help. Red was admitted to a mental hospital and was diagnosed as Schizophrenic. While inside the hospital, Red gave birth to another son who was quickly brought home to be raised by Grandmother, Terry and her other brother. After some time, Red was released from the hospital. Upon returning home, Red’s emotions were flat and she didn’t interact naturally with her children. She didn’t even recognize her new baby and never bonded with him.


Red continued to be in and out of mental hospitals during Terry’s childhood. She attempted suicide several times and frequently relapsed into bouts of hearing phantom voices again each time she stopped taking her medication. With Red’s health in such a precarious state and Grandmother always having to work, a lot of the housework and care for her little brothers fell to Terry. She often wondered why God would allow such things to happen in her life when she just wanted to be a normal kid. Once the right cocktail of medications was discovered Red started to stabilize. She and John divorced and she began to live a more normal life again. This allowed Terry to get her own life back. She was able to have friends, begin a relationship with her biological father, graduate from college, get married, have a career and have a family of her own.


After many years of taking the right medication and enjoying stable mental health, Red started to have problems again. Her boyfriend left and the voices came back once she stopped taking her medication. Terry had to uproot her life all over again, involve her own children and husband in Red’s struggle for her mental help. Terry helped get Red committed for treatment. Terry and her husband prayed over Red and asked for her deliverance from Satan’s grasp. Terry cared for her as best she knew how, getting her dressed and making her comfortable most days. Red remained mentally ill throughout her life and now resides in a nursing home. Red thanks God for his mercy. The family curse has been passed down to Terry’s own son and she is able to bestow her unconditional love upon him.

About The Author

Tina Harmon holds a master’s degree in education. She works for a local school district where she helps special needs students and students who are mentally challenged receive their education alongside their general education peers. She has been married for thirty-four years and has two children and seven grandchildren.