Power Steering Pump problems of the 2000 Chevrolet C/k Pickups

I was driving my 2000 Chevrolet pick up (4 wheel drive silverado) when, without any noise or other type of warning the power steering went out. I took the truck to have it repaired and the mechanic said they had done three or for of these. The problem is that the shaft in the power steering pump snaps in half where it has been milled to form the gear. This is very dangerous because it is very difficult to maintain control of the vehicle, because it takes a very strong person to even turn the wheel slightly with no power steering.