Mike Hedrick

Connections: the Journey of a Schizophrenic Mike Hedrick

Rob Black, a college sophomore, has been experiencing some complications. Battling crippling paranoia and delusions due to an undiagnosed case of schizophrenia, he inadvertently projects his fears onto the failures of society. Sensing he is being called to action, Rob sets off, vastly unprepared, on a trip across the nation to take matters into his own hands. After repeated failed plans and expectations about his "mission" he finds himself cold, delusional, and at the point of collapse on a desolate backcountry road. His salvation comes in the form of a lonely middle aged woman named Sharon with numerous problems of her own. She is perhaps as mixed up as Rob, but in a different, more latent way. Rob's saga ends as he is returned home to a mental hospital and finds that, through a seemingly insignificant turn of events, he has inadvertently saved Sharon from taking her own life. Connections is a compelling look at what happens when a dangerously delusional mind takes on an endeavor that is far too large for its own good. It received the award for best premise at the Pike's Peak Writer's Conference 2007 American Icon contest.