Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family

Don, Donald

By the time the Galvins returned to Colorado Springs, Don had a master’s degree in political science. Now able to teach at the Air Force Academy, he felt as though his life was finally getting back on track after a series of upsets, including hospitalization for a PTSD-like episode. His pursuit of falconry also made him a local celebrity and served as a way to spend time with his sons even as he began pursuing his PhD.

Donald was by this point a teenager; he was popular amongst his classmates for his athletic skill and good looks, but an average student who inwardly struggled to relate to those around him. Over time, his youthful love of pranks had also developed into outright bullying of his younger brothers. His most significant conflicts were usually with Jim, who resented his older brother’s favored status and developed a rebellious attitude in response. As time went on, the brothers’ fighting grew more frequent and violent.

Meanwhile, the younger Galvins were becoming fearful of their older brothers and frustrated by their parents’ divided attention. Mimi and Don sometimes tried to intervene in their children’s conflicts but largely seemed oblivious to them, “[choosing] not to see what was happening as anything other than roughhousing” (47).