The Agreeable Child
A Yogic Journey from Tragedy to Triumph
At two years old, Bradley L. Gabbert survived an accident that took away his speech. What he could not have known was how deeply that silence would shape the decades that followed. More than sixty years later, breathwork and yoga opened the door to understanding his past—and discovering a voice that had never truly disappeared.
Listen to an excerpt from Chapter 7, “A Promise to Myself,” where one simple question begins to challenge a lifetime of silence: What do I long for?
“At two years old, I lost my voice. Sixty years later, I found it.”
A Story of Silence, Breath, and Choosing Again
The Agreeable Child is a memoir about what can happen when survival becomes a lifelong pattern.
After a devastating childhood accident, Bradley L. Gabbert recovered physically—but the deeper effects of trauma remained largely unrecognized. Silence, accommodation, and passivity became ways of moving safely through the world.
Decades later, when those patterns began interfering with the relationships that mattered most, Bradley turned toward breathwork, yoga, reflection, and the difficult work of speaking honestly.
What began as a search for relief became a journey toward presence, agency, and renewed connection.
The Story Began in 1964
On August 30, 1964, two-year-old Bradley was struck by a car in Sycamore, Illinois. He spent two weeks in a coma and returned home having lost the ability to walk and speak. His recovery was remarkable—but recovery and healing would prove to be different journeys.
This story is ultimately about the space in which a different choice becomes possible. Sometimes that space begins with nothing more complicated than noticing the next breath.
Breath Prompt
Inhale gently.
Pause without strain.
Exhale slowly.
Notice what is present.
Begin With One Breath
What Readers Are Saying
Readings, Conversations, and Events
Bradley is available for author conversations, book-club discussions, podcast interviews, yoga-community events, and presentations centered on trauma, breath, voice, and personal transformation.
The Story Continues
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