I Love You Mom, Please Don't Break My Heart

Gr 9 Up—Based on the autobiography of John Borgstedt, this DVD tells the story of a man who survived 18 years of abuse and neglect, first by his parents and then by those who were supposed to help. In a manner similar to Dave Pelzer, author of A Child Called "It," Borgstedt recounts those years in detail while actors reenact the harrowing situations he describes. When his mother, an alcoholic and drug abuser, wanted to get rid of him, she would take him to the emergency room with a description of symptoms, often psychological, that John supposedly had, and as a consequence, he spent many months in psychiatric hospitals. As an adult, he was able to look at his files, and he learned that Child Protective Services and the hospitals knew that he was neglected and abused, but did nothing. As a teen, he began to run guns, and for five years he was incarcerated. He describes his time in prison, his conversion to Christianity, and his becoming an advocate for children in abusive situations. He is also shown speaking at juvenile facilities about forgiveness and "not being your own worst enemy."