For decades, his family rescued lost and forgotten donkeys in the Irish countryside. He had no idea that one day, the donkeys would rescue him. Patrick Barrett grew up on the back of a donkey. In the small village of Liscarroll, the young boy helped his family run a sanctuary for abandoned and abused donkeys. Struggling in school, Patrick only felt truly accepted in the presence of these funny, fuzzy, touching animals. It was like magic, how he and the donkeys understood each other. He became a true “donkey whisperer”―reading their body language, communicating with them in ways they could understand, and teaching himself how to “speak” in their distinctive calls. But when Patrick was of age, he shipped out with the Irish Army and encountered unimaginable wartime horrors in Lebanon and Kosovo. In the aftermath, he returned home a broken man, sinking into the depths of PTSD and addictions. He believed nothing could save him. But he hadn’t counted on the donkeys. Sanctuary is the remarkable true story of how faith turned one lost man’s life around with the help of the rescue animals who loved him. It’s an antidote to despair and a call to hope, revealing the beauty and wonder of Ireland as you’ve never seen it before. Barrett debuts with an introspective account of how his return to his family’s donkey sanctuary in Liscarroll, Ireland, helped him heal from PTSD and alcoholism. . . . Though repetitive at times, Barrett’s endearing narration, vulnerability, and candor showcase the power of persistent love―from animals and people―in the face of adversity. This is a touching story of faith and recovery. Publishers Weekly A profound story about a young man who found happiness in the face of much adversity. For those with mental challenges or addictions of any kind, Patrick’s story proves that there is always help available. What is needed is the courage to seek it out. Despite setbacks along the way, Patrick found a pathway that led him back to his native village, his beloved donkeys, and true contentment. A most uplifting read. Philip Egan, nationally recognized Irish poet; author of A Verseman's Harvest Donkeys have a reputation in popular culture as stubborn beasts. But as Sanctuary reveals, they can also be faithful friends―the very best kind of friend that is willing to carry a broken, traumatized man to a place of healing. Patrick Barrett’s story begins in his family’s Irish donkey sanctuary and invites us on his journey far from that place of safety and into a life marked by PTSD and addiction. However, that dark, distant place wasn’t Barrett’s final destination. Sanctuary’s warmhearted, hopeful narrative is a reminder that there is always a way home―for each one of us. Michelle Van Loon, author of Born to Wander: Recovering the Value of Our Pilgrim Identity From a man who had the good fortune to grow up in a sanctuary of donkeys, here’s a true story as surefooted and mystical as the equines in his life. Shaped by his home village in Ireland, a strong family, and the deep friendships of rescued donkeys, Patrick Barrett leaves home to discover the world in all its beauty, sadness, and complexities. Only when he comes full circle―back to the sanctuary of steadfast donkeys―will he find what’s missing inside. Patrick Barrett and Susy Flory offer a magical and yet very real story of one man’s journey and the miracles that present themselves along the way. If you’ve known a donkey, you’ll want to read this book. And if you’ve never known a donkey, you’ll want to find one after you read this book―a warm and victorious story full of second chances for both human and beast. Callie Smith Grant, editor of Second-Chance Cats, The Horse of My Dreams, and Second-Chance Dogs; winner of Dog Writers of America's Maxwell Award What a beautiful thing to watch God use such downtrodden, disabused animals as donkeys to help restore and redeem a human soul. Patrick Barrett’s story is inspiring, yearning, uplifting, hopeful, and right on time for our broken, hurting world. Patricia Raybon, author of My First White Friend: Confessions on Race, Love, and Forgiveness and I Told the Mountain to Move: Learning to Pray So Things Change Sanctuary is a book for anyone longing to be inspired, whose soul craves being seen, or who needs a reminder that redemption is possible―no matter your situation. Reading this book felt like taking a walk through the hills of southern Ireland with Patrick Barrett and the rescue donkeys who helped him find his way home. Full of personal stories―some heartwarming, some heartbreaking, each a testimony to the power of redemption― Sanctuary is a must-read for any fan of memoir. Jennifer Marshall Bleakley, author of Joey: How a Blind Rescue Horse Helped Others Learn to See, and Pawverbs: 100 Inspirations to Delight an Animal Lover\'s Heart Sanctuary spoke to me on many levels. This is a story about healing, becoming part of a herd, and returning to a literal and spiritual rock that hel