At the high point of a soaring career in the U.S. Army, Lt. Col. Mark M. Weber was tapped to serve in a high-profile job within the Afghan Parliament as a military advisor. Within weeks, a routine physical revealed stage IV intestinal cancer in the thirty-eight-year-old father of three. Over the next two years he would fight a desperate battle he wasnt trained for, with his wife and boys as his reluctant but willing fighting force.
When Weber realized that he was not going to survive this final tour of combat, he began to write a letter to his boys, so that as they grew up without him, they would know what his life-and-death story had taught him--about courage and fear, challenge and comfort, words and actions, pride and humility, seriousness and humor, and a never-ending search for new ideas and inspiration. This book is that letter. And its not just for his sons. Its for everyone who could use the last best advice a dying hero has to offer. Mark Webers letter and his stories illustrate that the greatest value of a life is to spend it for something that lives after it. That in the end you become what you are through the causes to which you attach yourself--and that youve made your own along the way. Through his example, he teaches how to live an ordinary life in an extraordinary way. Praise for "Tell My Sons" "A gift to us all .
Every page exudes courage, honesty, and an indomitable spirit. Mark Webers story has touched me in such a profound way."--Mitch Albom, author of "Tuesdays with Morrie" ""Tell My Sons" is one of the most profound and inspirational stories I have ever read. It may have been written for Marks children, but it may as well be a treatise for all of us about honest parenting and leadership with character in love, family, faith, and politics. For a man who is facing profound health issues, Mark is doing a remarkable job showing us all how to live with courage and integrity."--Walter F. Mondale, former vice president of the United States "This book is why I have always been proud to call Mark Weber my son. His ability to reach across complex boundaries and write and speak with such depth and beauty makes him a modern day Lawrence of Arabia.
Marks passion, attitude, and thoughts about life are what is best about America."--General Babakir S. Zibari, chief of defense, Republic of Iraq ""Tell My Sons" is a deeply moving, personal account of a soldiers journey into an ultimate frontier. As I read Mark Webers book, I was astonished by its honesty, courage, and discipline. This book offers one of the most profound and detailed descriptions of the strange world of cancer and should be essential reading for all of us who seek to understand that topsy-turvy terrain."--Siddhartha Mukherjee, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Emperor of All Maladies" "A poignant illustration of what being a hero is all about . Heroes exemplify invincible courage, character, and perseverance in times of insurmountable odds. Mark embodies these attributes.
"Tell My Sons" will empower the reader with profound lessons of living life with hope and determination."--John Elway, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback.