Dave Pelzer
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David James Pelzer (born December 29, 1960 in Daly City, California)[1] is an author and advocate for children's rights.
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[edit] Family
David Pelzer was the second oldest of five boys. His youngest brother Kevin was born when David was still a young boy. [2] His father Stephen Joseph Pelzer died in 1980 in San Francisco County.[3] His mother Catherine Roerva died in 1992. The fourth boy Richard B. Pelzer has also written about his own abuse.
[edit] The abuse
Pelzer is the author of a number of New York Times best-sellers chronicling the story of his abuse at the hands of his alcoholic and emotionally unstable mother. He claims his mother violently abused and tortured him through means of beating, starving, gas inhalation and burning him, all with Dave having to fight to survive.
According to Pelzer, he was rescued at the age of 12 on March 5th 1973 by his school nurse, Teacher and principal, who Pelzer claims had noticed over a period of a few years that he stole food from other children at school to feed himself and noticed bruises and cuts that regularly appeared on him. He was removed from his home and sent to live in a series of foster homes, where he gradually overcame the trauma of his earlier years and later joined the Air Force before becoming an author.
Pelzer's work has been the subject of considerable controversy, and the truthfulness of his stories has been questioned.
He now travels throughout the nation promoting his books and speaking out about abuse. His accomplishments have garnered commendations from several presidents. In 1994, he became the only American to win the "Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World" award.
He has been married twice and has one son, whom he named after his father.
[edit] Controversy
Numerous articles have raised questions about Pelzer's works, such as the Mail on Sunday ("Is He Making 'It' All Up?"), the New York Times Magazine ("Dysfunction for Dollars", by Pat Jordan, July 28, 2002), and the online magazine Slate ("Dave Pelzer - The Child Abuse Entrepreneur").
In "Dysfunction for Dollars," Pelzer's older brother is quoted as saying, "David wasn't ostracized from the family; he was very close to me and Robert. We were the Three Musketeers. But David had to be the center of attention. He was a hyper, spoiled brat." Adding to controversy, "...his grandmother, Ruth Cole remembers him as a 'disruptive kid, only interested in himself, with big ideas of grandeur.'"
Supporting Pelzer's story is schoolteacher Athena Konstan of Daly City, who wrote, "In my 31 years of teaching, David Pelzer was the most severely abused child I have ever known."[4]
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ "California Birth Index", www.ancestry.com : "David J Pelzer, b 29 Dec 1960, San Francisco County, mother's maiden name Christen"
- ^ "California Birth Index", www.ancestry.com: "
- ^ "California Death Index", www.ancestry.com: "Stephen Joseph Pelzer, b Aug 6, 1923 California, d Apr 24, 1980 San Francisco County"
- ^ Carroll, cited
[edit] Works
Pelzer has written a number of books, some of which outline his experiences. Five of these were included in the New York Times bestseller list.
- A Child Called It (1995) ISBN 1-55874-366-9
- The Lost Boy (1997) ISBN 1-55874-515-7
- A Man Named Dave (1999) ISBN 0-452-28190-3
- Help Yourself (2001) ISBN 0-452-28276-4
- My Story (2002) ISBN 0-7528-5371-6, Compilation of "A Child Called It", "The Lost Boy" and "A Man Named Dave"
- The Privilege of Youth (2004) ISBN 0-525-94769-8
- Life's Lessons (2004) ISBN 0-00-714691-4
- Help Yourself for Teens (2005) ISBN 0-452-28652-2
[edit] Reviews
- San Francisco Chronicle, Jerry Carroll, July 30, 1998 "The Beaten Path: Author David Pelzer chronicles a nightmare childhood"
