The Lost Boy: a foster child's search for family love

¶ … Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family

David J. Pelzer is a child-abuse survivor who has shared his experiences as a public speaker and an author. He tells his own story in a series of three books. Pelzer is the son of an alcoholic and extremely abusive mother and he lived his life moving frequently in and out of foster homes. Pelzer is a strong advocate against child abuse and his personal accounts help to bring awareness to many. Pelzer was married and had one child. He is divorced from his first wife, but has remarried.

Pelzer's second book, The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family, covers Pelzer's turmoil during his teen years and is the sequel to the first of a trilogy titled, A Child Called It. It is the true story of a child who suffered abuse and was raised in a series of foster homes. The story provides motivation and inspiration to those who may also be living in an abusive situation, but also provides insight to those who are fortunate enough to live a "normal" life in a family home where loving and caring parents are present.

State authorities eventually rescued Pelzer from his alcoholic and abusive clutches of his seemingly demented mother. He finds himself living in numerous foster homes where he is finally able to begin to play regularly with other children. However, David soon discovers that he is ignorant of the habits and language of his peers. Pelzer's placement in a foster home allows him to grow, but the process is not always smooth. He is forced to deal with his past status as a victim, which plays itself out in unseemly ways. Even though David suffers greatly and throws temper tantrums, repeats offensive behavior, and continuously shows a lack of respect for others, he is able to go through life and its hardships and stay on the positive side of life. This is a very sad story of a young boy that while rebellious and in turmoil, he was able to develop some close relationships with teachers, social workers, and other people who touched his life during this horrific time.

In two particularly fateful episodes, Pelzer is accused of arson and then he is caught stealing. He is sent to stay in a juvenile detention center, but soon he is able to return to a foster home. After moving around very frequently, David eventually finds a foster home where he feels comfortable. With his newfound ease, he is finally able to fulfill his potential, and his natural curiosity leads him to airplanes and stunt tricks. Pelzer later enlists in the United States Air Force, marries, and has a child. He did divorce his first wife, but his challenge in life is to work and educate people around the country about the realities of child abuse.

The book was very informative and certainly kept my attention. His account of abusive incidents provided an insight into the problem of child abuse that I might otherwise not have experienced. Examples of being forced to ingest the unthinkable, and enduring extreme tortures such as "ice-cold" baths invoke feelings of sadness, anger, and disgust for such cruel parents. Pelzer projected his thoughts and ideas in a very effective manner.