Authors William Sobolewski and Mary Sobolewski’s New Book, "The Broken Road," Follows the Authors as They Try to Help Their Son Through His Addiction and Mental Illness

Camas, WA, July 13, 2023 --(PR.com)-- William Sobolewski and Mary Sobolewski, who have been married since August 23, 1969, and have been blessed with five children and twelve grandchildren, have completed their new book, “The Broken Road: Story of Our Son's Drug Addiction and Mental Illness”: a heartfelt account of the difficult challenges faced by the authors as they attempted to help their son through his internal struggles and demons he attempted to fight.

Born in Vancouver, Washington, author William Sobolewski completed two years at Clark College in Vancouver where he majored in engineering before enlisting in the US Army. After spending twenty-five months in Germany with the 299th Engineer Battalion (C), which was under the Fifth Army Corps, William received an honorable discharge after three years of active duty and three years of inactive reserve duty. After completion of active duty in 1961, he enrolled at Seattle University where he majored in civil engineering, minoring in philosophy and theology. After working six and a half years with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, he took a leave of absence to attend Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. There, he majored in sanitary engineering and water resources, later returning to the US government and where he worked twenty-five years for the US Environmental Protection Agency in Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. He retired in 1995 with thirty-four years of government service, and after his federal career, William worked as a consultant to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Warm Springs, Oregon, and several private individuals. He is a retired registered professional engineer in Oregon and Washington.

Mary (Redlinger) Sobolewski was born in Virginia, Minnesota, later moving with her parents and family to Kansas City, Kansas. Mary attended St. Mary’s College in Leavenworth, Kansas, and majored in nursing, eventually graduating with a nursing diploma in 1967. Initially, Mary worked at the old St. Joseph hospital in Vancouver, Washington in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for about six months. Later, Mary worked for CDM Home Care. She was on the CDM Advisory Council and was honored for being president. In June 2005, the Pastoral Council of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Camas, Washington, recognized Mary for her volunteerism in the parish with the Deo Gratias Award.

“We titled the book ‘The Broken Road: Story of Our Son’s Drug Addiction and Mental Illness’ because of the difficulties and struggles Mary and I faced during our sixteen-year effort to help our son who was mentally ill and addicted to drugs,” shares William. “Many times we thought we were headed in the right direction in dealing with Frank’s mental illness and drug addiction. But that was not always the case. We were given directions that were misleading. Frank made promises that he did not keep. We have a legal system in Washington where guardians have little or no authority in making decisions for the incapacitated person. We have a health system in Washington that is inadequate in helping the mentally ill because the incapacitated person can only be hospitalized involuntarily if they are a ‘danger to themselves, others, or property.’ And we have a legal system that does not severely punish drug dealers. These difficulties and struggles led to a road that did not help Frank enough with his mental illness and drug addiction. It was a road that was difficult to navigate. It was a road that was not smooth and straight, and it was a road with many roadblocks. It was a broken road!”

Published by Covenant Books of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, William Sobolewski and Mary Sobolewski’s new book is an eye-opening look at how drug addiction and mental illnesses destroys families and lives, and the lack of helpful and impactful systems in America to help those impacted by such devastating forces.

Readers can purchase “The Broken Road: Story of Our Son's Drug Addiction and Mental Illness” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Covenant Books is an international Christian owned and operated publishing house based in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. Covenant Books specializes in all genres of work which appeal to the Christian market. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Covenant Books at 843-507-8373.