Salerno liked to wear a shirt that said "Fat Man Cycling" on one side and "Burn Fat Not Gas" on the other.
"I used to like to be big, because no one messes with big guys," he says. "But then I realized, who ever sees a fat old man? I'd like to be an old man someday."
Shadow Dwellers: A Series
What's the one image you took away from the Tucson shootings? We thought so. That mugshot of Jared Loughner is haunting. And for the world, it has become the face of mental illness in Arizona. Here, we know that's not true. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but the story of what it's like to be mentally ill in this place cannot be told in a single photograph.Tens of thousands of seriously mentally ill people live in Arizona. Some of them look just like you.
Other stories in the series:
Phoenix's Most At-Risk Homeless Find Their Way, Thanks to a Team of "Navigators", by Paul Rubin
Meet Raven, a Homeless Man with More Community Than Many of Us Have, by Paul Rubin
Why Did the Arizona Department of Corrections Put a Mentally Ill Man in Cell with a Convicted Killer?, by Paul Rubin
Mental Illness Hasn't Stopped Chris Shelton from Becoming a World-Class Boxing Historian, by Paul Rubin
Jan Brewer's Response to Jared Loughner: Slash More Than 35 Million in Services from an Already Beleaguered Mental Health System, by Paul Rubin and Amy Silverman
Mark Salerno works hand-in-hand at The Living Room with the clinic's administrator, Michelle Bloss.
Bloss is animated and able, a self-described news junkie who recalled Salerno's earlier troubles with the law when she heard he was coming on board.
"When Mark came out here as a counselor," Bloss says, "I learned quickly that he is quick-thinking, open, tenacious and calm with others, a combination of education and lived experience. I remind him of all we have accomplished here. Mark reminds me of how far we need to go."
Salerno's message to everyone he meets at the clinic — dozens of people each month:
"Everyone can recover. When you are down, you often cannot see the daylight at the top of the hole you are in. This is when a peer can save your life. Although you cannot see it now, recovery is a fact and better days are ahead. If you cannot hold the hope for yourself now, let me or any peer hold it for you."
Salerno says his personal life these days is in good shape, what with a woman named Ellen and a mixed-breed dog named Sawyer to look after him and vice-versa.
His 2002 felony was erased from his record years ago, and he hasn't had even a whiff of trouble with the law since then. About as important to him, Salerno has been in good standing with the Arizona Medical Board since 2009.
A few days ago, New Times asked him whether he wants to return to pediatrics some day.
"I would sell my left arm to do so," Salerno said. "I need my right to hold the stethoscope. I would consider throwing in a leg."
Dr. Salerno was a wonderful doctor and an awesome person. Mental illness can hit anyone at anytime. I am so glad he has overcome the darkness and is once again making great contributions. Thank you Dr. Salerno for touching my familys lift. I hope you continue on your road to recovery and I know you will make a differance in all the lives you touch.
First of all, It is a nice story. I just do not want folks with mental issues to think they can over come the illness. Mental illness is like having a substance abuse problem; yes one can stop drinking and doing drugs, however it is a day-to day struggle. Mental concerns is the same way, one would learn coping skills, find the correct medication for that time frame. One can hope to have a good doctor that will listen to your problems. Have a healthy eating habits, do some kind of excersize to help relive stress. A health belief in some type "Higher Power" often helps. True folks with mental issues do lead productive, happy lives. Even so, staying on the right kind of doseage of medication and support groups and even having some one that you can trust to talk to that can keep you on the right path. Changes in this world, is something that can not be ignored, with the proper tools one can deal better then before, however to say one is fully recovered from mental illness; without having to be concern of relapses due to triggers like hearing, seeing, touching, smelling, and remembering negative things that cause the mind to breakdown, is false hope. Mental stigma has changed over the years, through education, postive stories, along with documentation and better medications. A person can be dry dock for 40 years, but let them get tigger some how and they take that drug or drink and it does not matter they are still concidered to have a substance abuse.
So, is this an excuse you're trying to use for not helping people with mental illnesses? Because if he can cure himself then anyone can? How about this one...if he can cure himself of his mental illness then maybe there's really no such thing and we can stop trying to help the 10 people per year who get services for it in this state. Think of all the money the politicians could siphon into their pockets.
Neat story, very inspiring on many levels to hear about someone who happens to be mentally ill who is on a journey of recovery and gets media attention for something good instead of the usual negative attention given to folks with mental illnesses by the media. Thanks for sharing this story, and I hope there are many more like it to follow!
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It is my hope that some medical group will see this story and snatch Dr. Salerno up as fast as possible. He is a wonderful Pediatrician and he should be back in practice.
What an amazing story Paul, thanks for sharing it. Also HUGE thanks to the Doc for being brave enough to share this story. People who don't work in mental health, or have loved ones who are facing these issues don't understand, and this helps. It is easy to just lump everyone in a group and ignore them, and this man is a great example of why that is wrong. Best wishes.
Read the story again PTCGAZ stupid. it said he had a substance abuse problem years ago. and being he is from new jersey also in the story I bet he had a heroin problem like most druggies from new jersey and new york city have. the LSD thing was a joke. heroin and heroin use is all over back there in those parts. in the western USA the drug of choice is meth in the north east USA it is heroin and cocaine.
Whether he has or has not had a drug problem is not the issue. Mental illness can come out of the blue. And people sometimes can emerge from it. Going through hard times can make it easier to understand what others deal with.
u have no way of knowing what he did since u dont know him. i do and he's a straight shooter with no drugs. there r people who just have a breakdown and i hope it never happens to u.
I guess you didn't read the article too well. It says, "In his case, substance abuse never was an issue," He had no drug problem. Instead of trying to find some fault in him, mybe you could GET the whole point of the article: People can and do heal and become fully well.
my lame online jokes are also misunderstood as fact when they are merely cheap jokes based on nothing other than pure idiocy.
He still has that weird strange far away look in his eyes I wouldn't trust him at all. I have that same look in my eyes and i know I am 100% mentally unstable and could cause harm to others. DTA = dont trust anyone.
mike is right, once youve been to the darkside and back, you can easily get there again.
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