At 16, after seven years of isolation, pain and physical and emotional abuse Christine Sadry reached a breaking point. She was battered, bruised, and could no longer see a way forward. In that moment of deep despair, she attempted to take her life.
As she was slipping into unconsciousness, something deep within her
stirred — a spark of life that refused to go out. She called a friend
just to thank her for her friendship. Her friend heard something in Christine’s voice
and sensed something was wrong.
That phone call saved her life. And it also became a turning point. That moment of hopelessness became the beginning of her strength.
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Christine Sadry was born in Poland, behind the Iron Curtain, and was adopted in 1964 by a Polish American couple living in the United States.
After graduating from West Catholic Girls High School in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, she worked at the United States Social Security Administration from
1973 to 1979. She started her 31-year career with the United Nations in 1979, working on international conferences. Later, she began working with the United
Nations peacekeeping missions in Angola, Mozambique, former Yugoslavia, Sierra
Leone, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
13 Years Lost was selected as a finalist for the Independent Book Publishers Award! The ceremony in St. Paul, Minnesota, was a beautiful celebration of literary voices and creative spirits.
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Christine had a deep need to give voice to her story that was buried for so long to help others who have endured pain in silence. She wanted to show that even in the face of abandonment, trauma, and isolation, it is possible to heal, to rise and to live a life with hope and meaning.
Standing alone in the baggage claim of JFK International Airport, nine-year-old Christine Sario anxiously awaited the arrival of her new parents.
After the untimely death of her beloved mother and the abandonment by her
father, Christine was sent by her grandmother to the United States and the hope
of a better future. Her resilience led her to New York City, where she started
over with her daughter, Dana. There, she will begin a remarkable, exciting
career at the United Nations.
This is the extraordinary story of a Polish immigrant who overcame
unthinkable challenges and embraced the American dream. Follow Christine as
she defies the odds, travels the world, is blessed by the Pope, and finds true
love.
CONNECT WITH CHRISTINE SADRY
