Author Spotlight: Lynn Beck reflects on the impact of Adrienne, Mitka's wife

My name is Lynn Beck. I’m honored to be working with Steven Brallier, my amazing husband, and Joel Lohr, my terrific colleague, on Mitka’s Secret. I think I speak for all of us when I say that getting to know Mitka and working on his story has been a joy.

As the only woman on Team Mitka, I had a unique opportunity to build a close relationship, not only with Mitka, but also with his remarkable wife, Adrienne. I’d like to write a little about her because it is no exaggeration to say that, without Adrienne, there would be no Mitka’s Secret.

Since he was a little boy, Mitka has believed that God has guided his path, protecting him and leading him to the discovery of his purpose.  Certainly, his falling in love with Adrienne in 1953 was providential, for its hard to imagine a woman more suited to the complicated demands of living with a man whose life was shaped by trauma, secrets, and often blustering efforts to hide his past from the world.

It was Adrienne who patiently (most of the time) and bluntly (almost all of the time) guided Mitka as he figured out how to function as a man with a wife and family. It was Adrienne who handled the family finances and paperwork. It was Adrienne who stood with him as his life fell apart and as he unburdened himself of the secrets of his past. It was Adrienne who kept meticulous records of every aspect of the search for Mitka’s identity. It was Adrienne who never stopped fighting to find the truth that she believed could free her husband from at least some of the agony within. And it was Adrienne who celebrated with him as answers emerged and her beloved husband experienced a degree of peace and satisfaction at last.

In 2017, the Reno Philharmonic honored Mitka by performing “My Name is Mitka,” a beautiful musical piece by composer Jordan S. Roper. Adrienne (right) and Lynn (left) are pictured together at a reception after the performance.