Disclaimer: The article contains mentions of death. Reader discretion is advised.
Six Schizophrenic Brothers, a four-part documentary series created by Max and Discovery, explores the Galvin Family from Colorado. The documentary series primarily focuses on six out of 12 children of Mimi and Don Galvin, all diagnosed with schizophrenia. It also showcases how the mental health condition affected the entire family. Moreover, the documentary also talks about the profound tragedies they faced because of schizophrenia. Six Schizophrenic Brothers is currently available to stream on Max and Discovery Plus.
Based on the 2020 book Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker, the documentary talks about the Galvin Family brothers and delves into the stigma surrounding mental health conditions. The oldest son of Mimi and Don Galvin, Donald Jr., began showing symptoms of schizophrenia in the late 1960s. He started having hallucinations and showed paranoid behavior. However, the situation worsened when five of his brothers—James, Joseph, Brian, Peter, and Matthew—were diagnosed with the same condition.
The documentary series also shows in detail how schizophrenia became a reason for the family’s tragic times. According to The Direct, three of the six Galvin brothers—Brian, Joseph, and Jim—reportedly passed away because of the medications they took. Meanwhile, Peter passed away in his sleep in October 2023. The Galvin Family Trust states that Matthew and Donald are the only surviving members of the Galvin Brothers. Per Oprah Daily, Matthew and Donald are now living in a facility in Colorado.
Where are the six brothers from the Galvin Family now?
Since four of the brothers from the Galvin Family have passed away, Matthew and Donald are the only surviving members. On the other hand, the other members of the Galvin Family are now living their lives peacefully and have their own families. Despite facing a lot of difficulties, the Galvin Family helped medical researchers learn more about schizophrenia. According to Oprah Daily, they became the first family to be studied by the National Institutes of Mental Health. Additionally, their DNAs helped the doctors find a cure for the condition.
The documentary Six Schizophrenic Brothers can be streamed on Max, Discovery Plus, and Prime Video.
