Killing Willis by Todd Bridges
By Sharel Gordon-Love • May 22nd, 2010 • Category: Book Review 2010 •
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Author Todd Bridges shares his life’s journey from child star to drug addiction and the road to recovery that was lived out in the public eye at every turn. No one knew what was really going on behind the scenes; neither did anyone take the time to try to find out why Author Bridges was on such a destructive path that could have taken his life.
What a joy it was to Author Bridges to know at an early age that he wanted to be a star just like those he loved to watch on television. With his mother’s help, love and encouragement, he became that and more, growing up on the hit series, Diff’rent Strokes, right in front of our eyes. The tough kid who could take anything and come back swinging and grow into a model young man was the façade Bridges lived in front of the screen; however, his home life, though he was loved by his mother and siblings, was far from the one portrayed on TV each week. His relationship with his father certainly did not come close to the father/son relationship experienced with actor Conrad Bains.
Once drugs were introduced, the streets and how they operated were not far behind: drug dealing, prostitution, drug addiction, attempted murder charges and a host of other ills seemed to follow Bridges no matter what he did. What would it take for things to turn around and become normal again?
The road back to becoming whole was not an easy one, but it was one filled with prayer, constant love from family, forgiveness and determination that would bring Author Bridges full circle to enjoy the love of acting he has had since he was a small child. Today, we see him as Monk on Everybody Hates Chris, or one the hosts of Smoking Gun/Dumbest Criminals. He is also a family man with children of his own.
At first I had a problem with Killing Willis because he kept repeating that drug addiction played such a strong role in the destructive life that Author Bridges found himself involved with. What really won me over is that he took responsibility for his actions, never blaming anyone for the choices he made. He also acknowledged that there were some things that happened to him that were not his fault, and so he was able to come to terms with them and let them go. I recommend this book to everyone who has struggled with drug addiction and family problems.
This book was provided to me courtesy of the publisher for review purposes.
Review by Sharel E. Gordon-Love
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Sharel Gordon-Love is a single mother of three grown sons and one adoptive daughter, and the author of When He Calls, a Christian Fiction novel. An avid reader since the age of five, Sharel has a passion for the written word and what can be done with it. Sharel finds a way to share the written word through children and women's ministries; she is a licensed Evangelist Missionary in the Church of God in Christ.
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