Episode 376: Most “Mentally Insane” Family In America- Six Schizophrenic Brothers

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7-year-old Mary Galvin has plans to kill her older brother. The way he roams around town with that empty gaze. The way their parents refuse to talk about his behavior. It was all going to end.

Mary had her older brother, Donald Galvin, tied to a tree as she gathers sticks to pile at his feet. He is a witch about to be burnt at the stake.

Donald is more than happy to play along. In the end, Mary backs out of her plan to kill him—she didn’t bring matches along and by the time she realizes what she’s really doing—she’s sprinting away like it never happened. Donald is fine either way. If she had gone through with it he would’ve happily died right then and there because to him, Mary is more than just his little sister.

She is the Virgin Mary. The Mother of Christ himself—and it makes sense—because they’re not even real siblings. Donald had been switched at birth and his real mother is actually an octopus.

This is the story of the ‘most mentally disturbed family in America’ (according to one psychiatrist). 12 full blood siblings living in one house. 6 out of the 12 siblings would be diagnosed with schizophrenia. This is the case of the Galvin family.

Donate To The Galvin Family Trust: https://galvinfamilytrust.org/ 

Full Source Notes: rottenmangopodcast.com

Sources

‘Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family’ by Robert Kolker

‘Six Schizophrenic Brothers’ Docu-series on Max

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/when-six-of-her-12-children-went-mad-mimi-galvin-did-her-best-to-make-to-light-of-it/

https://gazette.com/arts-entertainment/colorado-springs-family-refutes-new-max-documentary-six-schizophrenic-brothers/article_8c575524-38a1-11ef-8398-ef7b55ed5b7d.html 

https://thedeparturefilm.com/john-galvin-found-love-stability-with-wife-nancy-amidst-family-struggles/

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/schizophrenia/what-is-schizophrenia#:~:text=Schizophrenia%20is%20a%20chronic%20brain,thinking%20and%20lack%20of%20motivation.

https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/what-causes-schizophrenia

https://www.npr.org/2020/04/05/826695581/in-hidden-valley-road-a-familys-journey-helps-shift-the-science-of-mental-illnes

https://www.facebook.com/HiddenValleyRoad

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=432840488414581&set=a.115294090169224 

Production Note:

Rotten Mango has not done original reporting on this case. The stories are based on existing material (listed in show notes).

The RM team works hard to make sure everything you’re listening to is as accurate as possible and we try to use multiple sources to verify the facts. Creative liberties may be taken in certain cases during the presentation of the case. Please email us at rottenmangop@gmail.com if you have any questions!