David James Pelzer, born December 29, 1960, is an American author and motivational speaker.
He is best known for his memoir A Child Called “It,” which spent years on The New York Times Best Seller list.
Who is Dave Pelzer?
Dave Pelzer is an American author of autobiographical and self-help books. His 1995 memoir, A Child Called “It,” recounts severe child abuse he says he suffered as a boy.
The book spent years on The New York Times Best Seller list. Within five years, it sold more than 1.6 million copies.
Pelzer’s account has also drawn controversy. Some family members and journalists have disputed specific events described in the book.
Early Life of Dave Pelzer
Dave Pelzer was born on December 29, 1960, in Daly City, California. He was the second of five brothers.
His parents were Stephen Joseph Pelzer, a San Francisco firefighter, and Catherine Roerva Pelzer. According to Pelzer, his mother subjected him to severe physical and emotional abuse from ages four to twelve.
Teachers intervened on March 5, 1973, and Pelzer entered foster care at age twelve. He later enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1979 at age eighteen.
During his Air Force service, Pelzer worked as a boom operator, refueling aircraft including the SR-71 Blackbird and F-117 stealth fighter. He also served during the Gulf War.
Dave Pelzer Age
Dave Pelzer is 65 years old as of 2026, born on December 29, 1960. His zodiac sign is Capricorn.
He has spent more than three decades as a public speaker and author since his first book’s release. Pelzer continues to draw on his early life experiences in his work today.
Dave Pelzer Ethnicity and Nationality
Dave Pelzer is American. He was born and raised in California and identifies as white.
His father worked as a firefighter in San Francisco, a role Pelzer later trained for himself in the Air Force. Pelzer has cited his father’s profession as a formative influence on his own path in life.
Dave Pelzer Education
Pelzer attended Westmoor High School before entering foster care and later the military. His formal schooling was disrupted by the abuse and instability described in his memoirs.
After leaving foster care, Pelzer enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at age eighteen. There, he trained as a boom operator, a technical role handling aerial refueling of military aircraft.
That military training shaped much of his adult discipline and structure. Pelzer has said his service gave him stability he lacked during childhood.
Dave Pelzer Career
Publishing A Child Called It
Following the deaths of his parents, Pelzer wrote his first book, A Child Called “It”: One Child’s Courage to Survive. Health Communications published the memoir in 1995.
The book describes abuse Pelzer says he suffered between ages four and twelve. It details incidents involving starvation, beatings, and forced ingestion of harmful substances, as described from his childhood perspective.
The memoir spent more than six years on The New York Times Best Seller list. It has since sold over 1.6 million copies and been translated into more than 40 languages.
The Memoir Trilogy and Later Books
Pelzer followed his debut with The Lost Boy: A Foster Child’s Search for the Love of a Family in 1997. That book covered his years moving through the foster care system.
In 1999, he published A Man Named Dave: A Story of Triumph and Forgiveness. That book focused on his adult life and his decision to forgive his father.
Together, the three memoirs stayed on The New York Times nonfiction paperback list for a combined 448 weeks. Pelzer later shifted toward self-help writing, publishing Help Yourself: Finding Hope, Courage, and Happiness in 2001.
He went on to write additional books, including Moving Forward. Discussing that title, Pelzer said his message has always centered on resilience.
Speaking Career and Public Recognition
After his books gained wide readership, Pelzer appeared on programs including The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Montel Williams Show. His story reached an especially wide teen and young-adult audience through school curricula.
In 1993, Pelzer was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans. The following year, he became the only American honored as one of The Outstanding Young Persons of the World.
Pelzer carried the Olympic torch during the 1996 Summer Olympics relay. In 2005, he received the National Jefferson Award, an honor recognized for public service.
Beyond his writing, Pelzer has served as a volunteer fire captain in California. He earned recognition twice as Volunteer Firefighter of the Year for his work responding to fires and floods.
Dave Pelzer Awards and Recognition
A Child Called “It” won the Young Adult Library Services Association’s Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults honor in 2002 and again in 2010. Pelzer has also received commendations from four U.S. presidents over his career.
His National Jefferson Award in 2005 placed him among honorees that include Colin Powell and Oprah Winfrey. That same period, Pelzer also received the JC Penney Golden Rule Award, naming him California’s Volunteer of the Year.
Dave Pelzer Books and Publications
Pelzer’s memoir trilogy includes A Child Called “It,” The Lost Boy, and A Man Named Dave. Together, these books form the core of his published life story.
His brother, Richard B. Pelzer, later published his own memoir, A Brother’s Journey, describing his own experiences in the family. Some family members, including another brother and the siblings’ maternal grandmother, have disputed elements of Dave Pelzer’s account.
A 2002 New York Times Magazine article quoted Pelzer’s own publisher questioning aspects of his claims. Despite this dispute, the books remain widely used in schools to discuss child abuse and resilience.
Dave Pelzer Wife
Dave Pelzer married his first wife, referred to publicly as Patsy, in 1986. The couple had a son together before divorcing in 1994.
In 1999, Pelzer married Marsha Pelzer, who also worked as his editor. Public records do not confirm whether this second marriage is still ongoing as of 2026.
Dave Pelzer Net Worth
Dave Pelzer’s estimated net worth is $1.5 million as of 2026. His income comes mainly from book royalties and his career as a keynote speaker.
Pelzer continues to book paid speaking engagements on resilience and overcoming adversity. His speaking fees have been listed in the range of $10,001 to $20,000 per event.
Dave Pelzer Social Media
Pelzer maintains a YouTube channel where he shares content related to his books and speaking career. He also keeps a presence on Facebook tied to his public speaking work.
His official website features updates on his books and speaking schedule. Pelzer has not published widely followed handles on other major platforms that could be independently verified.
The Bottom Line
Dave Pelzer published A Child Called “It” in 1995, a memoir that spent more than six years on The New York Times Best Seller list. He followed it with The Lost Boy in 1997 and A Man Named Dave in 1999, completing a trilogy that sold over 1.6 million copies.
Pelzer served in the U.S. Air Force as a boom operator during the Gulf War before turning his focus to writing and public speaking. He also spent years as a volunteer fire captain, earning recognition twice as Volunteer Firefighter of the Year.
Pelzer continues to work as a keynote speaker on resilience and overcoming adversity. He remains a widely read author whose books are still used in schools to discuss child abuse awareness.
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