BOOK- MOVING FORWARD

Mr. Dave Pelzer is a remarkable and courageous man, who has survived many personal tragedies as a child. He was abused to the point of being tortured daily by his own mother. How tragic is that? He describes briefly some of the gruesome details of his "house of horrors." He speaks about his resilience and how he cleverly developed little mind games of survival. He had the will to stay alive and be hopeful that things will get better. He was isolated and alienated from the rest of the family, he lived in the musty,dirty and damp basement.

Every single day in his young life was unpredicatable, he didn't know when his next meal would be and sometimes his mother would "conveniently" forget to feed him. During her psychotic moods, she would throw him down the stairs and he would suffer broken and/or fractured bones, she forcefully placed his hands on the stovetop or she would put him in a ice cold water bath etc. Though he suffered enormous mental and physical pain, she never once took him to the doctor for medical care.

When he went to school he always looked upkempt, dirty and wore the same clothes and shoes. His hair often looked tangled and uncombed. His personal hygiene was very poor.

After years of torture, he was finally rescued by school officials who called the Children's Protective Services. Dave was immediately placed in a foster home and he lived there until he was old enough to be on his own.

Despite his earlier setbacks, he became a writer and a motivational speaker. His books were published all around the world and was on the best sellers list in the NY Times. He devoted all his time to help others and to be a positive role model to those who have been abused. He conveys the message that it is important to aknowledge what has happened and move on.

Mr. Pelzer eloquently states in the back cover of his book, "I believe that no matter how many mistakes we've made; how badly we've really screwed up, how old, worn out or dejected we've become; as long as there is true,steadfast ambition, all of us have an opportunity for greatness. We all can summon the courage to deal with issues, no matter how overwhelming, painful or degrading, that may have plagued or even paralyzed us in the past-once and for all. With determination, we can stretch beyond the everyday barriers to better ourselves. Learning from our prior experiences, we can, and should, aspire to fulfill our dreams, making life better not only for ourselves but for others around us during the course of our life's journey."