1 Comments Posted by risa

my mom's sister was committed to Pilgrim State when she was in her 40s, must have been in the 1960's, late 1960's. Her name was Helen Steiffel. She had two young daughters at the time. Have vivd memories of visiting my Aunt Helen when I was 6 until early teens, My mom visited her almost weekly, brought goodies for her and the other patients in her ward and the nurses who attended her. I remember it as an otherworldly place, everything was big and slightly scary; nonetheless, I liked going there. Patients always wanted to engage me. My mom was one of the few who visited regularly-had the sense that the patients in my Aunt's section were seldomly visited. Received a cathachism book from a male patient when i was sitting outside with my aunt one day. My mom was in a quandry as to whether or not I should take it as we are Jewish. I took it home, cherished the book and studied the lessons until I lost interest. Still, the memory lingers. My aunt ultimately died at Pilgrim State about 10-12 years ago or thereabouts. She was buried in the next best thing to a Potter's Grave somewhere in Staten Island. I visit one of her two daughters , my first cousins, on occasion. She is retarded, lives and works on her own and is about in her mid to late fifties. Never asks or talks about her mom..