Dave Pelzer is a best-selling author and presenter who helps others to help themselves. As a child, he was severely abused, mentally and physically tortured, and at the point of starvation. At age 12, his teachers notified the authorities and saved his life. Dave was placed in foster care until he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at age 18. He was determined to better himself.
Today, Dave pays homage to those who make a difference in children’s lives, such as educators, social services, and law enforcement. He travels over 250 days of the year and offers programs for youth-at-risk, corporate groups, and human services. His wit and unique outlook on life encourage people to overcome any obstacle. Dave’s life is proof that it can be done.
Two of his books, A Child Called “It” and Help Yourself, have been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Four of his books have appeared simultaneously on the New York Times bestsellers list. Dave has also received personal commendations from Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. He was the recipient of J.C. Penney Golden Rule Award in 1990, making him the California Volunteer of the Year.
Dave’s life story has been featured on such TV shows as The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Montel Williams Show. In 1993, he was honored as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans, and one year later, he was the only American to be honored as one of the Outstanding Young Persons of the World. As a member of the armed forces, Dave was hand-picked to midair refuel the highly secretive SR-71 Blackbird and the F-117 Stealth Fighter.
• All those years you tried your best to break me, and I’m still here. I make mistakes, I screw up, but I learn. I don’t blame others for my problems. I stand on my own. And you’ll see. I’m going to make something of myself.
• Hate is a cancer that spreads one cell at a time.
• I believe it is important for people to know that no matter what lies in their past, they can overcome the dark side and press on to a brighter world.
• Childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun, not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul.
• It is perhaps a paradox that without the abuse of my past, I might not be what I am today. Because of the darkness in my childhood, I have a deep appreciation for life. I was fortunate enough to turn tragedy into triumph.
• I’m so blessed. The challenges of my past have made me immensely strong inside. I adapted quickly, learning how to survive from a bad situation. I learned the secret of internal motivation. My experience gave me a different outlook on life, that others may never know. I have a vast appreciation for things that others may take for granted.
The best way to get started with Dave Pelzer is to read A Child Called “It,” the first in a trilogy about Dave’s life. Dave grew up with horrific abuse and torment; his mother was an alcoholic and emotionally unstable. The book begins by recounting his life of desperation and then goes on to explain how he overcame such great obstacles. A Child Called “It” has been described as the story of the triumph of the human spirit.
Dave was involved in “one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history.” In A Child Called “It,” you experience the atrocities of his upbringing, but you also get to experience the strength of his inner desire to survive. This book has touched millions of people, and after reading only a few pages, it is easy to see why. The subsequent books in the trilogy are The Lost Boy and A Man Name Dave.