Escaping a Family Cult and Reclaiming Faith, Fatherhood, and Freedom with Peter Young

Today Patty interviews author and former sports broadcaster Peter Young about his memoir, Stop the Tall Man, Save the Tiger, detailing how he married into a small, hidden cult led by “Uncle Robert” (Robert Booty). Over two decades, Robert used secrecy, isolation, and spiritual manipulation—claiming to be a gatekeeper to salvation—to control Paige, her parents, and eventually Peter, fueling parental alienation and a divorce in which Peter was portrayed as “the devil.”

Peter describes how family support, faith, and a court-appointed guardian's report identifying severe parental alienation and cult influence helped expose the abuse, leading to the three youngest children returning to live with him.

He shares key lessons: keep Christ at the center of marriage, maintain strong fellowship and communication, and remember salvation precedes sanctification, plus warning signs of cult leaders. Peter also talks about his basketball-themed novels The Blue Team and Wardrobe of the Wolf, with East of Ashton forthcoming.

website: www.authorpeteryoung.com

Facebook page: Author Peter Young

Instagram: peterbyoung

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Meet Peter Young

02:21 How He Married In

04:53 Red Flags After 9 11

06:37 Gatekeeper To Salvation

09:19 Isolation And Secrecy

11:31 What The Cult Leader Wanted

13:56 Legacy And Surrogacy

15:20 Divorce And Rock Bottom

17:09 First Steps Toward Clarity

18:18 Breaking Free and Reaching Out

18:56 Robert Rewrites the Marriage

20:24 Kids Turned Against Dad

21:27 Guardian Ad Litem Turning Point

23:30 Shunning Rebecca the Warning Sign

24:41 Single Dad and Hope for Healing

26:51 Book Lessons and Cult Red Flags

30:23 Other Books and Where to Buy

31:46 Rapid Fire Q and Closing

34:51 Host Wrap Up and Next Season