The Bravest Guy: A True Story of Overcoming Impossible Odds

by Harry E. Wedewer

As a U.S. Army infantryman in World War II, Don Wedewer was twice wounded in four days. On both occasions, he was left for dead. Now he was a double amputee and blind with seemingly no hope for the future. Yet through extraordinary determination and persistence, this highly decorated combat veteran overcame seemingly impossible odds to become a state and national leader in providing opportunities for those with visions loss. This is Don Wedewer's story. For more information visit www.bravestguy.com

230 pages, Paperback

Published October 12, 2016

Reviews

[Nicole Perry Kurilchick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I read this book, which is not my typical genre, because it is written about the husband of one of my grandmother's cousins, a man I remember from family gatherings growing up. Family ties aside, it truly is an amazing story. I finished this book in just over 24 hours! The short chapters and straightforward writing made it easily accessible.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book. Don Wedewer is my great uncle and I am so grateful to Harry for writing this book. It is truly a gift to our family and beyond. As a kid, I knew Don was an incredibly determined man who never let his disabilities hold him back. But I didn't know the whole story. As a social worker I am so impressed by Don's advocacy. He is an activist who testified before the Senate demanding that persons with disabilities be given options and accommodations for independent work and living. Don blazed the trail in the days long before the ADA was ever a thing, long before the law mandated equality. I feel so grateful to be related to this man. Harry is a fantastic writer and has told his father's story I such a beautiful way. Thank you Harry for this book and thank you Uncle Don, for everything.

[David McClendon, Sr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before we begin, we first must explain our rating system. Our blogs are Christian-based. We are fundamentalist and charismatic Christians. We believe that when the Bible says in Exodus 20:7 not to take the Lord’s name in vain, that means not to use it as a curse word.

We instruct authors and publicists not to send us their books if the Lord’s name is used in vain in the book. This is specifically mentioned in our review policy. Like it or not, if a book contains God’s name used in this way, we mark the book down to a complete zero when this happens even once in the book. From that point, the book has to fight to make its way up to a one.

The Bravest Guy by Harry E. Wedewer uses God’s name in vain at least four times. It is on pages 29, 49, 81, and 114. This takes the rating down to a zero. Let’s see what happens after that.

This book is NOT Christian friendly. The author uses quite a few profane words throughout the book There is no real reason for it when other words would do.

However, The Bravest Guy is a story that needs to be told. Other than the profanity, it is very well-written. Mr. Wedewer, the author, is telling his father’s story in a way that no one else could.

We are given the family story of how they got here in the United States of America and how his family had left Germany because they were tired of the endless wars. We see that, when it came time to serve in the military, this whole family answered the call in their own way.

The reader is given a glimpse of how really messed up our military health care system is and how it has been since at least World War II. We even see where a man who has had both legs blown off, along with one eye and had the second eye damaged, is not even given a toothbrush when he asks for it.

The Bravest Guy is a book that one just can’t put down. We actually read it in one afternoon. It is very entertaining. Mr. Wedewer paints a word picture in such a way as to have his readers sucked in. We see how wonderful humanity can be and how terrible they can be as well.

Even with the Lord’s name used in vain, we feel compelled to give this book all five stars. The book is that well-written and the story is one that needs to be told.

[Jenny Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting to read how he overcame his obstacles. I was excited to read the whole chapter on Brigham city, Utah and Bushnell hospital. Which is my hometown.
War is so sad. All those teenagers being torn up and becoming disabled.