Author Published Biography of Grandmother
Donald Zrebiec has released a book honoring his grandmother, Catherine Smoral, who spent decades at Willard Asylum.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Alzheimer’s
Live Poll
Would you actively research and write down the history of a relative who had difficult struggles?
At 91 years old, Rochester resident Donald Zrebiec published a new biography titled She Was Here. The book chronicles the life of his grandmother, Catherine Smoral, a Polish immigrant who was confined to Willard Asylum from 1920 until her death in 1957.
Why it matters
Zrebiec wrote the biography to preserve his grandmother's memory and ensure her life story is not forgotten by future generations. To honor her legacy, East House has announced plans to dedicate a reading area in her name.
Willard Asylum spanned 600 acres and housed 58,000 patients throughout its operation, which ended in 1995. Catherine Smoral was one of nine children and was 55 years old when Zrebiec visited her in 1940.
The players
Donald Zrebiec
He is a 91-year-old author residing in Rochester who spent years researching his grandmother's history.
Catherine Smoral
She was a Polish immigrant who spent 37 years as a patient at Willard Asylum before passing away in 1957.
East House
This organization plans to honor the memory of Catherine Smoral by naming a reading area after her.
The details
Zrebiec conducted extensive research by contacting government officials via phone and email to compile the historical context for his grandmother's life. She was originally a resident at 107 Morgan Avenue in Syracuse before being committed to the asylum in 1922.
Timeline
1922: Catherine Smoral was committed to Willard Asylum.
1940: Donald Zrebiec visited his grandmother at Willard Asylum.
1957: Catherine Smoral died at Willard Asylum.
1995: Willard Asylum closed its doors.
2026: Donald Zrebiec published his first book.
Health Landscape
The closure of Willard Asylum serves as a landmark event in New York's transition away from large-scale institutional psychiatric care. This story follows the historical pattern set by the closure of the facility by re-examining the individual lives of those once confined within it.
The book highlights the importance of historical documentation in understanding the long-term experiences of individuals within the psychiatric system. Readers interested in family history may find the research methods used by the author useful for their own genealogy projects.
The takeaway
Preserving the personal histories of institutionalized individuals helps humanize those who were previously lost in administrative records. Readers can document their own family history by utilizing public government archives and digital record-keeping tools.
Further reading
For more information on the history of cognitive care and support for patients, visit Rochester Alzheimer’s.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Syracuse.
Live Poll
Would you actively research and write down the history of a relative who had difficult struggles?
