Anglican Church Newcastle hosted a special launch event of Marija Radojevic’s book Anthony’s Story on Tuesday July 3 at Christ Church Cathedral.
Anthony’s parents, Marija and Alex, told their deeply moving and heartbreaking story, sharing the deep “sense of rawness and chaos”.
“This book is for the families, for the lives of those who are broken,” Marija said.
“My hope is if any parent who has been going through this experience, and reads it and finds something there, then my job is done.”
Bishop Peter Stuart spoke at the launch of the book in Newcastle and encouraged the audience and the wider community to read the book.
“A few months ago Marija shared with me her family’s experience and the journey she had been on in writing the book. I was deeply moved by her story and by the wisdom she was bringing from her professional experience to the needs of family and friends making a similar journey,” Bishop Peter Stuart said.
The publication of Anthony’s Story follows the conclusion of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in December 2017. Anthony’s Story is about her son’s sexual abuse at a Sydney school and death in 2014.
Marija wrote Anthony’s Story for all those thousands of families who, like hers, have been torn apart by a similar ‘living death’.
Copies of Anthony’s Story are available for purchase at Christ Church Cathedral for $38.50 (cash only). You can also order your copy from Harry Hartog.
Backgrounder
“A moving account of one family’s tragedy” – Justice Peter McClellan AM
The publication of Anthony’s Story follows the conclusion of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in December 2017.
Marija’s description of the devastating trauma suffered by his family following Anthony’s sexual abuse by a paedophile teacher is heartbreaking.
In this painful account, we read about the seemingly endless attempts Anthony’s parents, Marija and Alex, make to retrieve their gifted son from his harrowing attempts at self-destruction.
We also see Anthony’s great talent for acting, which gets him into NIDA – twice. Tragically, this is not enough.
Anthony’s ultimate slide into alcoholism, suicide attempts, theft and self-loathing is agonisingly exposed.
Although the destruction of Anthony’s potential for a successful future is distressing to read, Marija draws a thread of hope throughout.
This book is important because sexual abusers in institutions must answer for their grotesque failure to protect children in their care.
Marija wrote Anthony’s Story for all those thousands of families who, like hers, have been torn apart by a similar ‘living death’.
The book also carries a strong message for the entire community which is robbed of the honourable contributions of so many to society.
www.facebook.com/Anthony.Radojevic.Story
