Dave Pelzer was born in 1960 and grew up in San Francisco. His dad was a firefighter whose work kept him away for days at a time. His mother was a homemaker and an alcoholic who started abusing Dave when he was only four years old.
While his mother cared for the rest of the family, Dave was starved, beaten, burned, and referred to as "it". His mother made him eat his brother's left-overs, drink ammonia, and would hold his arm over a gas stove. There was even a time were his mother did not feed him for 11 days. Dave noticed his mother's hatred and believed he was unworthy of love.
No one stopped his mother. In the Pelzer household, dad worked, and mom raised the boys. Dave says his father was the perfect passive observer. For Dave, survival became a matter of playing games with his mother his mother.
School was a safe place for Dave. It was a break from his mother's cruelty, and he could steal food from the cafeteria and from his classmates lunches. Teachers noticed his odd behavior and evidence of physical abuse, but no official action was taken until 1972. Two of Dave's 5th grade teachers risked their careers and notified authorities, saving Dave's life.
From age 12 to age 18, Dave lived in a series of foster homes. Fearful of becoming homeless when he became a legal adult, Dave dropped out of high school and worked double shifts at a factory. He passed his G.E.D. and joined the Air Force. For the first time in his life he felt stability. Despite the years of abuse, Dave could still feel the psychological pull of his mother and he craved her acceptance. He tried to stay away, but life-altering events would bring them together twice before she passed away.
The first time was at his father's funeral. The second encounter was after the birth of his son, Steven. He realized he had to stop himself of resentment and forgive her. The act of forgiveness, not forgetting, cleansed his soul and made him feel more grateful than before.
Dave now uses what he has learned from his tragic past to help others. He has written four international best sellers and his most recent book, Help Yourself, has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He was also honored as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans.He was the only American to be honored as the Outstanding Young Person of the World. In 205 he won he National Jefferson Award. Dave is also the author of 6 inspirational books 2 of which are nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.
