Gerard Brooker's story begins as a child growing up in an abusive family in Queens, but he was still able to live out his dreams.

According to an article in the NewsTimes, Brooker has called Bethel his home for the last 20 years, and he has just published the memoirs of his fascinating life titled, In the World: My Journey from Nowhere to Everywhere.

Brooker promised himself he wasn't going to be drawn into the kind of lifestyle his parents had made for themselves. Over the last 40 years, Brooker has been a monk, a teacher in New York, New Jersey, and Staples High School in Connecticut, and has visited over 100 countries.

In 1979, one year after he quit drinking and was nearing a total "emotional breakdown," he began pursuing one of his life dreams, which was to help feed every hungry child in the world. While teaching at Staples High, he put together an organization called, Youth Ending Hunger with the help of his Staples High students. His new book's underlying theme is, "never give up on yourself." He told the NewsTimes:

Find out what is unique about yourself and go and do it! No matter what the obstacles are, no matter what they are, never, ever, ever give up. And I never have, even to this day!

Photo Credit - Amazon.com
Photo Credit - Amazon.com
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His other accomplishments include putting together the 1995 Hiroshima Peace Conference, visiting Syrian refugee camps, and being one of five teachers inducted into the 1998 National Teachers Hall of Fame.

Brooker has also written 12 other books and has received dozens of awards. To check out his fascinating new book, "In the World: My Journey from Nowhere to Anywhere" or any of his other 12 books, click on Amazon.com.

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