Free Like-Me

My Childhood was Stolen

Clark Fredericks

In this unforgettable episode of Free Like Me, Michael Gonzalez shares his deeply personal story of surviving childhood sexual abuse by a trusted teacher in Leonia, New Jersey. As he revisits the dark memories of grooming, manipulation, and betrayal that began in the 1960s, Michael reveals how the trauma shaped his youth, his time in the military, and ultimately led him to confront his abuser decades later.