About For the Love of Stephen: The Story of a Boy Who Was Never Broken by Stuart D. Jones
“Stephen’s story is beautifully told through the eyes of his brother, Stuart. Steve was different, not less. You will love his story.” — Temple Grandin, Ph.D., Author & Advocate
Born premature in 1954 and diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Steve Jones was never expected to live a “normal” life. Professionals urged his parents to institutionalize him, to forget, to move on. Instead, they chose love.
For the Love of Stephen: The Story of a Boy Who Was Never Broken is a powerful sibling memoir that spans five decades of Steve’s life from the small-town prejudices of the 1950s, through public school desegregation for students with disabilities in the 1970s, to the quiet injustices and quiet joys of his adult years. It is a story of resilience, laughter, heartbreak, and radical belonging.
Through sharp honesty, satirical critique, and moments of deep tenderness, Dr. Stuart D. Jones shares the story of his brother’s courage and humanity in a world that too often refused to see it.
Perfect for readers of Riding the Bus with My Sister (Rachel Simon) and Life, Animated (Ron Suskind), For the Love of Stephen is both personal and universal—an unforgettable story that asks us to see differently, love fiercely, and never look away.
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Author Bio:
Dr. Stuart D. Jones is a retired higher-education executive and former church minister who now teaches college courses part-time and writes with a passion shaped as much by life as by books. Over the years, he has spoken at many universities, churches, conferences, seminars, workshops, and leadership events around the world on a variety of topics. A devoted advocate for disability rights, he believes every life has purpose and worth.
Yet no credential has shaped him more deeply than being Steve’s brother.
Dr. Jones holds advanced degrees in both education and theology and has been published in several academic forums. For the Love of Stephen is his first work of narrative nonfiction—and by far, his most personal.