"At age 50, life looks particularly good for Steve. Recently retired ... he is now the proud owner of a sporting camp in Maine. The camp is also a breath of fresh air for Bert, a recovering alcoholic, who takes Vicodin every day to relieve the pain from a previous work injury. He finally gets a job, and he gains a valuable friend in Steve. After just a few years, however, health and family drama cause Bert to spiral downhill, and his mental illness mixed with more and more prescription drugs becomes a cocktail for tragedy. But Steve has no idea just how dark things have become. A riveting true story ... tells of friendship, betrayal and survival with a compassionate honesty that informs and inspires."--Page 4 of cover. Second Edition - When outdoor enthusiast Steve Whitman buys a sporting camp in the woods of northern Maine after retiring, he unknowingly begins the hardest chapter of his life. The first few years are full of hard work, adventure, and newfound friends. But things begin to fall apart when one of those friends, Bert, suffers a mental health crisis and adds more and more prescription drugs to his daily regimen. Soon, Bert becomes a walking ghost whose once affable, alert gaze is transformed into a cold, dull stare. And this is just the early stage of the tragedy that is about to overwhelm the two men as well as their families and friends. Winning Life’s Lottery is a strangely hopeful account of a terribly true story that reads like a suspense novel. While Steve candidly recounts the bewildering events that unfold as Bert’s mental stability declines and the formerly friendly man begins to exhibit mad jealousy and hatred, this dark tale is ultimately an inspiring story of survival and compassion—one you won’t soon forget.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.