It is no secret that I think Romeo Dallaire is a Canadian hero. Unfortunately, his heroism came at a dreadful price. The Rwandan genocide may have taken place in 1994, but for Romeo Dallaire, it is still happening every day.
Upon returning from Rwanda, Romeo Dallaire realized he had an injury and for two years, he tried to escape by working and focusing on trying to make everything seem normal but his PTSD kept rearing its head. Dallaire eventually gets help which is not always easy.
In Waiting For First Light. Dallaire is brutally honest about this injury, how it has affected him and others returning from war zones. He talks about the affects it has had on his family and the work that he has done. He is forever a changed person who now works toward eradicating child soldiers.
The last few chapters of this book were especially difficult. Dallaire asking his readership if they still respect him after knowing how far he has fallen, broke my heart. It's like someone apologizing for breaking their leg or having cancer. If anything, Romeo Dalliare, is a hero because through it all, he has risen above war, above PTSD, without going against his morals and values and he continues to rise above it all every day. That takes a strong heart, mind, and spirit.
Bookworm Rating: 🐛🐛🐛🐛🐛
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