William Lee Sillyman

The Journey - The Revised Edition William Lee Sillyman

The Journey - The Revised Edition is the story of a man who survived knowing he was gay in the era of the 1960s & '70s in the Central Midwest when being LGBTQ would put your life in danger. This is the story of survival, forced to the closet for over forty-five years, all the while being married and being a father to two children and grandfather to six grandsons and one granddaughter. Coming to terms with his personal challenges of learning disabilities, undiagnosed hearing impairments, diagnosed vision impairments to be declared legally blind, Borderline Personality Disorder, and CPTSD. Overcoming obstacles to those same challenges to earn two undergraduate degrees and a graduate degree. Losing his wife of forty-year to complications from diabetes. His wife knowing he was gay, yet staying faithful to only her. After her death, surviving the condemnation of family, betrayal of friends, and being forced to self-excommunicate from his religious beliefs, simply because he chose to no longer hide. Finding love again and being an openly gay man.