Pittsburgh Author Shares Her Family’s Story with Dr. Phil

PITTSBURGH, PA (PittsburghNewsWire.com) — Blue is the Color of Heaven—The Story of a Boy’s Love, Strength & Beyond, written by his “Warrior Mom” Dana Ziemniak, honors her late son, Evan William Ziemniak, who accidentally died in 2016, at 12 years old, by doing the “blackout challenge” or “choking game” after being dared by a school bully.

 

In Ziemniak’s continual quest to spread awareness and advocate for her son, she will appear this week on an episode of Dr. Phil entitled Shedding Light on the “Blackout Challenge”.

 

“I’ve made it my mission to raise awareness about dangerous social media and internet ‘games’, bullying, and other invisible threats that affect today’s youth,” Ziemniak stated. “This book is dedicated to my son and all the other beautiful children gone too soon, always loved, and never forgotten.”

 

Ziemniak and her husband, Matt, have presented on the dangers of “pass-out challenges” and playing the “choking game” to school districts, law enforcement, and communities. Matt has honored their son by speaking at the American Mental Wellness Association Conference, sharing Evan’s story with a speech entitled, “The Boy with the Helicopter in his Head and the School Who Failed Him.” Dana has contributed articles to Love What Matters, and Evan’s name and photo are included in a 2018 Time Magazine article about the choking game.

 

Dr. Phil McGraw is one of the most well-known and trusted mental health professionals in the world. His top-rated program, Dr. Phil, is now in its 21st season. Ziemniak’s appearance on Dr. Phil is set to air on Thursday, January 5, 2023 on KDKA TV at 3:00 pm. A full description of the episode and a “Where to Watch” schedule can be found at drphil.com.

 

Blue is the Color of Heaven was published on November 30, 2022 and can be purchased at Amazon.com and BN.com.