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Donate safely, anonymously & monthly, in any amount. It's a smarter way to give online. Learn moreDave Roever grew up in a loving, committed family in South Texas. The last thing on his mind was going to war. At the height of the Vietnam War, he received his draft notice. Having no desire to serve in the infantry, he joined the Navy and served as a river boat gunner in the elite Brown Water Black Beret in Vietnam.
Eight months into his tour of duty in Vietnam, Dave was burned beyond recognition when a phosphorous grenade he was poised to throw exploded in his hand. The ordeal left him hospitalized for fourteen months, where he underwent numerous major surgeries. His survival and life are miraculous.
Today, with his humorous style, Dave Roever is enthusiastically received both nationally and internationally as a public speaker. He is a gifted communicator and speaks in a variety of settings including public schools, military installations, business, men’ s and youth conventions, etc. Dave is a frequent guest on national television talk shows. He established compassionate, ongoing missions work in Vietnam and is involved in other nations.
In every setting, Dave’s message is one of hope. Using his life as an example, he addresses issues relevant to his audience and presents concrete solutions to life’ s problems. Often drawing upon his war experiences of loneliness, peer pressure, disfigurement and pain, as well as life’ s triumphs, Dave weaves a message of courage, commitment and survival that touches and transforms those who hear him. The foundation of his hope is his faith, supported by the wholesome relationships with his parents, wife, children and grandchildren.
Thirty-four years after his injuries, the Department of the Navy corrected its oversight by awarding Dave his Purple Heart, along with several other service medals. Because of his war-time experience of service, injury and recovery, he is uniquely qualified to speak to the needs of military personnel. He is called upon regularly to address troops on domestic military bases as well as those deployed in Iraq and other locations around the globe.
In May 2005, Dave was awarded an honorary doctor degree in recognition of his remarkable life and service.
Dave Roever is founder, chairman, and president of two non-profit corporations: Roever and Associates, and Roever Educational Assistance Programs (REAP) based in Fort Worth, Texas. Dave and his wife Brenda are co-founders of Eagles Summit Ranch (ESR) near Westcliffe, Colorado, where the couple will train wounded warriors, others from the U. S. military and talented young leaders in areas of specific focus such as public speaking, and marital and emotional recovery after devastating injury, helping them to fulfill their destinies.
Dave and Brenda are the parents of two adult children, Matt Roever and Kim Chapin, and grandparents of four grandchildren.