Audience Testimonials 

WORDS FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE WATCHED
CRACKED UP, THE DARRELL HAMMOND STORY

“I am an amateur podcaster but I also have a new diagnosis of CPTSD. I am a nurse who had Covid and a new diagnosis March 2020 and Cracked Up came at a time of my diagnosis. Ultimately it calmed and validated my diagnosis through so many similarities. In gratitude I would like to acknowledge this in an upcoming Podcast series ‘A Journey to Indifference.’ Your film and Evolving Conversation series were extremely validating and Darrell has taken the silence away. I'm forever grateful.” —Tracey Gray

“I just wanted to say thank you to Darrell and everyone who made this film. You have changed the world for so many viewers, myself included. I didn’t experience childhood trauma, but in watching your film I better understand the love of my life and think your film might help us communicate on a deeper level. Film team, thank you for everything you put into this story and for the 360 view of mental injury/illness regarding trauma. Darrell, thank you for showing vulnerability and for showing me there is still hope for my partner to survive a life of repressing trauma and self-medicating. I know it was fucking hard, and your willingness to show how hard it was to survive means so much. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate everything I’ve learned as a result of your openness. Stay safe and healthy everyone!” —Anonymous


“Thank you so much for sharing this brave movie. I am a mental health therapist specializing in trauma (I'm certified in EMDR), and your story will touch many of my clients lives through you. I myself, am a trauma survivor. It took so many years of my own research and treatment to be able experience my own body and mind as safe places. The information you provide will be a shortcut in this painful process to many, and I hope very much that it will contribute to the driving force of raising awareness to the effects of childhood abuse in our society.” —Anonymous 

"A thousand thank you for the work you do, it is so precious and vitale. I have suffered the consequences of what happened to me as a child and growing up in my family. 40+ years of internal torment. Religion, detox, psychiatric hospital, anti-depressant, selfharm, wanting to die/disappear.. In that infernal cycle, I became a wife and a mum. Life has not been easy. Thank you in advance for addressing questions. Looking forward to being online together later on (from Ireland and of French origin)" —Isabelle F

"As a social worker for 20 yrs --- i realized early on -- that my own pain and own childhood trauma could destroy me or propell me to make a difference ... mental injury not mental illness .... thank you for the honest conversation this evening"
—Sandra

“I have attended all the meetings in The Evolving Conversation series and watched the amazing film Cracked Up. Thank you, thank you, thank you for ALL of your sacrifices and efforts towards seeing us all healed - for your vulnerability and transparency. Your LOVE is MOVING MOUNTAINS. I have been on a journey out of incest/abuse since I was a child. I just turned 40 this year, and seen more release than ever over the last 8 months. I wrote the following poem recently. I hope it brings love like you all have brought to me.” 


"I found this film such a pleasant surprise and the epitome of resiliency. When watching Darrell in my 30-40s, he brought such laughter and joy to my life. It is moving, inspiring and motivating to watch this story.  This movie was done in the only way to touch people - it is honest, real and brought a spotlight to an astonishing epidemic - childhood trauma. I have been around mental health movements and organizations my whole life, but have never seen childhood trauma portrayed like this and it’s so clear that it is overlooked. Thank you for this film, shedding light on a very hard topic and showing how people living with child trauma can identify it, forgive themselves for a life of self medicating and showing a light at the end of a tunnel.  I appreciate all the work that went into the film and will watch and share with those I love. I will also follow crackedupmovie.com and can’t wait to download the song at the end of the movie once it’s recorded.” —Anonymous  

“I work in Columbus with kids from public schools that have special needs. Last night I was invited to a special screening of CRACKED UP.  It was brilliant and ever so poignant. Darrell said that he would of made the movie - just to save one life—— my friend, this movie will save literally hundreds of thousands of lives!! Through his personal story, the movie shows that too many people are misdiagnosed as suffering from mental illness, but in reality their ailment is mental trauma of childhood toxic stress. Darrell spoke from his heart with love and conviction, such deep flammable content that he selflessly shared, so as to save others from unnecessary pain and anguish. After seeing  the movie and hearing Darrell speak- I saw firsthand  the meaning behind the words of Martin Luther King- “Truth crushed to the earth, will rise again”.  The truth this movie brings the world, will prevent needless pain of people becoming crushed. Darrell has rose with this movie to bring hope and love to the world!! The stigma of mental injury was replaced with compassion, support and hope!!” —Anonymous 

“The sheer audacity and courage to make this film is a gift to the many people who have experienced their own family trauma, as I have. Thank you Michelle and Darrell very much for sharing such a generous sense of hope with us. This movie increased my desire to move forward and to care for myself, to do the work to forgive myself and heal and let go of this constant pain and suffering. I hope I reach the place Darrell mentioned where I am no longer afraid and ashamed. Thank you Darrell for being willing to 'tag along for others benefit,' you have and I am another one of them. I believe that with this movie, you two have begun a new model and movement of peer support to assist people's real recovery and not just 'treating the smoke, while ignoring the fire,' as Michelle put it. This is a beautiful and important movie. Thank you again for making it and for coming to Columbus to share it with us in person. I was deeply moved and consoled by the movie.” —Anonymous

“This film tells a very important story and Darrell bravely exposes his raw vulnerability so that strength and the hope of deep healing can emerge. Michelle’s creativity and soulful wisdom blend unbearable pain and compassion together for the observer to be able to bear witness to our human frailty. Best supporting actor is the deep artistry that flows throughout the film’s entirety. My deepest gratitude to all involved.” —Anonymous

“An insightful look at how childhood trauma affects your entire life and how to approach healing the mental injuries accrued through those incidents. Sometimes people aren't actually crazy. They are simply trying to protect themselves with tools they developed as a toddler.” —Anonymous

“This film gives raw and rare view of the journey of a complex trauma survivor. As a trauma survivor myself, it is truly freeing to be able to see someone put into context for the world to see and understand what it is that we (those impacted by trauma) often experience.” —Anonymous

“This film tells a very important story and Darrell bravely exposes his raw vulnerability so that strength and the hope of deep healing can emerge. Michelle’s creativity and soulful wisdom blend unbearable pain and compassion together for the observer to be able to bear witness to our human frailty. Best supporting actor is the deep artistry that flows throughout the film’s entirety. My deepest gratitude to all involved.” —Anonymous

“Thank you for your kind and eloquent words following the film. What you and Darrell are attempting to bring light and recognition and education around is astounding. We were humbled to be associated with this year’s event and documentary.” —Anonymous

It was such a pleasure to meet you and hear Darrell speak last night. You both spoke to parts of me I had not allowed myself to recognize in a long time. My New York roots, my alcoholic/drug addicted brother and parts of my ‘childhood’ I thought I put away as a child. It’s amazing how such an impactful and soul searching piece of art and life can find its way into the parts we choose to keep silent and hidden. —Anonymous 

We truly feel honored to be a ‘small part’ of such a large endeavor.  We have complete respect for the work being done, the work that you both do and that, as I hope I articulated, is literally transforming and saving lives. —Anonymous 

I work in Columbus with kids from public schools that have special needs. Last night I was invited to a special screening of CRACKED UP.  It was brilliant and ever so poignant. Darrell said that he would of made the movie - just to save one life—— my friend, this movie will save literally hundreds of thousands of lives!! Through his personal story, the movie shows that too many people are misdiagnosed as suffering from mental illness, but in reality their ailment is mental trauma of childhood toxic stress. Darrell spoke from his heart with love and conviction, such deep flammable content that he selflessly shared, so as to save others from unnecessary pain and anguish. After seeing  the movie and hearing Darrell speak- I saw firsthand  the meaning behind the words of Martin Luther King- “Truth crushed to the earth, will rise again”.  Such a mitzva - for the truth this movie brings the world, will prevent needless pain of people becoming crushed. Darrell has rose with this movie to bring hope and love to the world!! A 5 year old child shouldn’t have to sit on a railway track or have to go to school with the fear of guns.  The stigma of mental injury was replaced with compassion, support and hope!! —Anonymous 

I found this film such a pleasant surprise and the epitome of resiliency.  When watching Darrell in my 30-40s, he brought such laughter and joy to my life. His gift displayed on SNL stood out and I cannot believe everything he had been through. I realize his extreme experiences brought out his gift but his late start in life, his sheer utter talent and under the personal circumstances is astonishing.  He brought so much joy to those of us experiencing different levels of sadness (I had mild depression) that I find the irony so moving. He helped me laugh and get over things in life, while I had no idea what he had been through and what he was living with. It’s moving, inspiring and motivating to watch this story.  This movie was done in the only way to touch people - it is honest, real and brought a spotlight to an astonishing epidemic - childhood trauma. I have been around mental health movements and organizations my whole life, but have never seen childhood trauma portrayed like this and it’s so clear that it is overlooked. Thank you for this film, shedding light on a very hard topic and showing how people living with child trauma can identify it, forgive themselves for a life of self medicating and showing a light at the end of a tunnel.  I appreciate all the work that went into the film and will watch and share with those I love. I will also follow crackedupmovie.com and can’t wait to download the song at the end of the movie once it’s recorded.  —Anonymous 

As I was thoroughly absorbed by the contents of the film, my reaction to the movie was ‘EYE OPENING’.  I never realized there was a term called mental injury.  The percentages of people suspected of suffering from this illness is astounding; and I feel that the more we get the awareness out, the quicker we can heal those who need it! —Anonymous 

First, the movie held my attention the entire time. I never once wondered what time it was or thought about anything other than Darrell’s experience. The story line, the editing, the slow intentional revealing of the events in his life kept me entirely engaged. My heart broke hearing about his hand being slammed in doors and I was consumed with sadness when he shared how his mother had stabbed his tongue. I wondered, how does a person recover from such trauma? Where must one go to begin their healing? The movie addressed these questions by showing how resilient and intentional Darrell was in working through the many layers of his emotions. On a personal note, I gained new insight of the lifelong impact childhood abuse has. My own journey of healing from divorce has a new dimension. I more wholly  understand the severity of the impact a dysfunctional environment has when it is at the core of childhood. Darrell’s reference to the struggles and failure of his own marriage triggered me to take another look at what I had been dealing with in my own healing and that much of the struggles in my marriage stemmed not from the present but from wounds that had been endured so many years before.   The movie was inspirational and so incredibly necessary to be shared. I think it allows empathy and connection in a new way. Thank you for all your years of work and to Darrell for being brave enough to share his story with strangers.
—Anonymous 

 "Thank you for sharing your story. I understand wanting to make meaning of the random evil that happened to us by wanting to share our stories to help others. I have found that using my suffering as an asset to express empathy has made me feel less of a victim. It has helped change my attitude towards what happened to me. I have experienced this approach as empowering. I also appreciated your explanation of the value to you of cutting yourself. I heard you say that you did it as a way to ground yourself, to bring you back from psychotic thinking that separated you from reality. That is the first time I have heard an explanation of motives of a behavior that has puzzled me. I also appreciate the title of your memoir. It's such a great answer to the intellectual question of theodicy for those of us who have suffered trauma, especially childhood trauma." —John L

WORDS FROM VIEWERS OF
CRACKED UP, THE EVOLVING CONVERSATION

(A VIRTUAL SERIES ON ZOOM)