David Samarzia Author
WRITING MY PAST SO THE FUTURE CAN ENSURE REAL JUSTICE FOR SURVIVORS
When David Samarzia stepped up to protect children from a predatory minister, he never expected that it would cost him everything.
Tragically, the legal processes to pursue justice can turn out to be more traumatic than the original sins committed against you...
BEYOND BLINDSIDED - David's Blog
BLOG INTRODUCTION
Ever Been Lost on a Familiar Path?
There are moments in life that do more than just change you. Much like getting lost when you think you know the way, these moments can confuse everything you thought you understood about trust, fairness, and life itself.
For me, the realization unfolded slowly at first, then became a flood, leaving behind questions I’m still learning how to answer. I wrote Blindsided: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Legal Abuse to make sense of an experience that feels impossible to explain unless you’ve lived it. After finishing the book, I realized the story didn’t end there; rather, it opened the door to a much larger conversation.
That is why I’ve started this blog.
For the parts of my story that don’t fit neatly into chapters. For the realities people rarely discuss: what it’s like to lose control of your own narrative, to navigate systems that seem indifferent to truth, to rebuild over and over again when the ground beneath you has shifted.
Moving forward, I will be posting blogs regarding the personal side of legal conflict—the emotional toll, the isolation, and the unexpected lessons learned. I hope to explore how the court system impacts ordinary lives, and what that means for those lost within it. Along the way, I’ll also share news, reviews, and guest viewpoints that touch on related topics.
More than anything, this blog is about perspective.
Because being blindsided isn’t just about what initially happened to you. It’s more about what happens afterward, and how you move forward when the path remains unknown.
If you’ve ever experienced something that made you question everything you thought was a given… if you’ve ever felt unheard, misunderstood, or overwhelmed by circumstances beyond your control... please know you’re not alone.
My book tells where it began for me. Now this is where we continue...
— David
Book Reviews!
"I found myself putting the book down several times - just to take a breath... Excellent writing, excellent pace and excellent inspiration." Tina A.
"...an immensely powerful and searingly honest account of sexual abuse and its lifelong effect ...I was all too aware of evil men preying on children, but had never before encountered the term 'legal abuse'. I hope this book will reach a huge audience..." Irene M.
"...inspirational, hopeful, and empowering." Cheri S.
“You believe there are safeguards in place, so when someone already hurt from trauma comes forward, the justice system will give them protection. But I felt alone inside the very systems I believed would help me. I trusted the church, I trusted my lawyer, I trusted the courts ...The legal process ended up causing additional damage, not only
to me but to my family.”
David Samarzia
“I’m grateful for David Samarzia’s humble courage to share his horrific yet cautiously triumphant story of the drama and trauma of the intersection of abuses he’s suffered, from sexual to religious to legal abuse. I hope people read his story as another installment in the desperate cry for reform and accountability in our systems and the people who manage them."
David Hayward, speaker, blogger, author of The Liberation of Sophia
“In Blindsided, David’s journey is a chilling account and courageous example of speaking truth to power. His story serves as a voice for the voiceless, turning silence into a powerful anthem for change, transformation and reclamation.”
Andrea Constand, author of The Moment: Standing Up
To Bill Cosby, Speaking Up For Women
“Blindsided, by David Samarzia, is a heartbreaking true-crime drama... Somehow, Samarzia endures a torturous and seemingly endless journey through the duplicitous labyrinth of crime and punishment. In his noble way, he triumphs, striving over decades to restore compassion and goodness to his world. But in the offing, the breach leaves its irreparable injury. ‘If you are going to tell people the truth, they may try to kill you.’ The shattering lesson for all of us: Beware of smiling villains entrusted with our children. In the words of Shakespeare, ‘Hell is empty...all the devils are here.’”
Ron DeChristoforo, author of This Way Out
"David Samarzia's memoir is a call to action ... We will each have opportunities throughout our lives to create spaces where survivors, particularly boys and men, can disclose abuse and to create communities where survivors can heal and thrive. I'm grateful to David for the support he has provided survivors and for this memoir which will validate the experiences of many more."
Mary Faulkner, Executive Director,
Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA)
disclaimer: The contents of this website are based on the opinions of the author and presented with the understanding that he does not intend to render any type of medical, psychological, legal, or any other kind of professional advice.