An Autoethnography
A Father's Journey Through His Son's Mental Illness
Available in Paperback & Kindle
In this often painful, sometimes uplifting memoir, Dr. Engelman recalls the moment his life—and his relationship with his son—changed forever: the moment his son revealed his mental illness. A Boy Broken invites readers to sit beside a father as he confronts his son’s first psychotic break, listens to terrifying accounts of hallucinations, struggles to accept that nothing will ever be the same, and ultimately commits himself—without reservation—to his son’s care, protection, and dignity.
Autoethnography is a qualitative social science research method that uses the researcher’s personal experiences as primary data to examine broader social, cultural, and institutional contexts. By systematically reflecting on lived experience, memory, emotion, and identity, autoethnography connects the individual to the social, revealing how personal lives are shaped by power, norms, and structure. Rather than seeking detached objectivity, autoethnography values situated knowledge and ethical self-examination, making it especially useful for studying topics such as illness, trauma, family, identity, and marginalized experiences.
This raw and unflinching account chronicles the progression of Dr. Engelman’s son’s mental illness and the family’s efforts to navigate an unforgiving mental health system. It explores profound themes of suffering, love, grief, and endurance, tracing a father’s transformation from emotional distance to fierce, unwavering advocacy. Across years marked by crisis, hope, and fragile stability, the family perseveres—only to face devastating loss when his son is killed in a sudden automobile accident.
Yet even in its deepest sorrow, A Boy Broken carries a quiet but enduring sense of hope. The story stands as a testament to families living with mental illness, offering recognition, solidarity, and understanding. It invites readers not only to bear witness, but to reflect on their own capacities for compassion, resilience, and perseverance in the face of unimaginable loss.