Available:*
Material Type | Library | Call Number | Suggested Age | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Book | Searching... Buffalo Creek Memorial Library at Man | 618.9285882 WAR | Adult | Searching... Unknown |
| Book | Searching... Cabell County Public Library | 618.9285882 WAR | Adult | Searching... Unknown |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
An emotional, revealing memoir of one family's life in seclusion--and the love, strength, and faith it took to save it.
Seahawks star running back Curt Warner and his wife, Ana, were prominent figures in Seattle in the early 1990s. When they dropped from the public eye after Curt's retirement, everyone assumed it was for a simpler life. But the reality behind their seclusion was a secret they hid from even their closest friends: their twins, Austin and Christian, had been diagnosed with severe autism. What followed was a painful struggle to hold their family and their marriage together in a home filled with chaos, emotional exhaustion, and constant fear for the safety of their unpredictable but beloved boys.
Now, after years of silence, the Warners share their inspiring journey from stardom and success to heartbreaking self-imposed isolation. Above all, it's a story of the life-changing truth that love for family and each other--no matter how challenged--is the path to healing and peace.
The Warner Boys is the true story of a family who fought for their children and how they grew stronger against all odds.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In an unflinching account of parenthood, Ana and Curt Warner, in alternating chapters, confront the emotional challenges and rigors of raising twins diagnosed with autism. Curt, a former running back for the Seattle Seahawks, retired in 1990; after a stillbirth, Curt and Ana had a son and, in 1993, Ana gave birth to twins, Austin and Christian. By age five, the twins began exhibiting peculiar behavior, including eating books and uncontrolled temper tantrums. The two were diagnosed with autism, and the news tested the Warners' religious faith and marriage, yet, as Curt writes, they worked together and were boosted as "our love for one another forged and tempered to even greater strength and depth." The Warners sought advice from therapists and doctors, and while some treatments helped, Ana acknowledges, "new and changing symptoms kept us from closing in on anything that worked for very long." The couple fell from the public eye as they tried to steady their lives, which included the adoption of a girl named Isabella. Throughout, the Warners share statistics from their research ("the internet became my classroom and my library," writes Ana) for instance, one in 68 children in America has autism. Occasionally harrowing yet healing and transformative, this memoir of love and faith shows no situation is beyond hope. (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Surviving and thriving as a family with autistic twins.Ana and Curt Warner take turns narrating this powerful tale of life with twin boys with autism. The couple met while Curt was a successful member of the Seattle Seahawks, but this isn't a sports story. An early priority for the Warners was to build a family, but they first suffered from a tragic stillbirth and miscarriages. Finally, a healthy son, Jonathan, was born, soon followed by twin boys, Austin and Christian. It was soon clear that the twins were not developing normally, but despite a series of physician visits, no answers could be found. At last, they found a doctor who realized right away that the twins had autism, which was, at the time, a little-understood disorder. The Warners' story is both heart-wrenching and also uplifting, as they chronicle how they learned to handle two children who kicked holes in walls, ate tongue depressors in the doctor's office, discovered new ways to escape the house, and watched Disney films with absolute obsession. The family struggled through isolation, misplaced guilt, anger, and radical changes in lifestyle, ranging from diet to constant home repair. Two low points drive home the difficulties the couple faced. First, there were Ana's thoughts of suicide, in which she imagined freeing her husband and older son by driving herself and the twins off a cliff. Second, while playing out a scene from a Disney film, Austin set the family's house on fire, destroying it and nearly taking his mother's life. Despite unimaginable struggles, the family survived and even adopted a baby girl. The twins, meanwhile, moved into early adulthood with part-time jobs. Rather than delve into arguments over the causes of autism, the authors focus on awareness and the need for support.A touching and at times traumatic family story, but always positive and told with love. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Although they were at first reluctant to share their story, Ana and Curt Warner have written a memoir that could reach readers on many levels. Those interested in sports will appreciate learning more about star NFL athlete Curt; people of faith will appreciate the impact that faith has had on the couple's lives; and, finally, people touched by autism will find relief in knowing that families in similar situations can not only survive but thrive. Parents going through significant struggles with their children may find it encouraging that the Warners found hope after their twin sons' diagnosis with severe autism. People with autism and their families often differ in their opinions of autism's root causes, how people on the spectrum should be identified, and how to define success. Rather than supporting one side or argument over another, the authors depict how they achieved what all parents want: the best possible lives for their children. They first told their story at a National Autism Conference in 2013 and are now sharing it more publicly through speaking engagements, their involvement with organizations supporting people with autism, and this book. The Warner Boys is a must-buy for every public library collection.--Joyce McIntosh Copyright 2018 Booklist
