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At age 12, Dave Pelzer weighed only 68 pounds when he was rescued from the hands of his alcoholic, abusive mother in March 1973. Mr. Pelzer was only 10 years old when he suffered a stab wound a half-inch from his heart. Mr. Pelzer always said, “From this moment on, I’ll never quit.” This is the same message he conveyed to the Airmen at the 86th Airlift Wing commander’s call Aug. 4.
***image1***Mr. Pelzer did not know it at the time, but when he was rescued his case would be viewed as one of the worst cases of child abuse in California’s history. But the
message of hope and appreciation is what he talked about most.
“Who’s making a difference day in, day out? Look in the mirror,” said Mr. Pelzer, in gratitude to all members of the Armed Forces.
“I demand nothing but greatness from everyone in this room,” he added.
“My first family was the U.S. Air Force,” said Mr. Pelzer who joined the Air Force at 18, after bouncing around from foster family to foster family.
He also added that he learned how to be a business man by being a non-commissioned officer.
It was a homecoming for Mr. Pelzer who stopped by Ramstein to give a motivational speech to the Airmen.
With the disturbing past of Mr. Pelzer, he did not let it deter him from success.
“There is always a yin and yang,” he said. “Bad things happen to good people for now. The pendulum will swing back and you will get through this.”
Mr. Pelzer is an award-winning author who has written six books. His most famous book, “A Child Called It,” details his tribulation of child abuse. His final words had a lasting effect, “Good day, good luck, God Bless.”
