Author and Veteran Luis Montalvan Speaks at FPM Reads

Author+and+Veteran+Luis+Montalvan+Speaks+at+FPM+Reads

Michelle Lee, Student Writer

On Thursday, October 24 about 75 people attended the annual FPM Reads program to listen to a very inspirational man, Luis Carlos Montalvan.

His book, Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him, is about his experience as a soldier from the age of 17, the physical and emotional trauma he faced afterward, and how he was able to face these challenges.

In high school, his classmates voted him “most likely to be in camouflage in 20 years!”

Suffering from physical disabilities, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder, he was able to overcome them with the guide and close bond of his helper dog, Tuesday, who accompanied Montalvan to FPM.

His message to the audience was everyone has disabilities and sometimes we just have to get through them and overcome them no matter what.  “Living with disabilities is a part of life,” said Montalvan.

The audience was very inspired by his message.  He was asked what advice he would give young men and women who wanted to join the army.  He said, “To read a lot about it and talk to people, all sorts of people, men, women, old, and young who have joined and ask them about their experiences.”

Joining the army is a very important decision, he said, “Even more important than deciding what college to go to.”

Mrs. Rosenblum, FPM’s librarian and organizer of the FPM Reads program decided to have Montalvan because “I was inspired by how he overcame his disability and became a good role model for students.”

 

Read a report from Mrs. Rosenblum, FPM’s Librarian:

Download (PDF, 285KB)