Tuesday's Promise: One Veteran, One Dog, and Their Bold Quest to Change Lives

by Luis Carlos Montalvan, Ellis Henican

Overview

As timely as it is heartwarming, Tuesday’s Promise is an inspiring memoir of love, service, teamwork, and the remarkable bond between humans and canines.

Following the success of his New York Times bestseller, Until Tuesday, Iraq War veteran Luis Carlos Montalvan advocated for America’s wounded warriors and the healing powers of service dogs.

In this spectacular memoir, Luis and Tuesday brought their healing mission to the next level, showing how these beautifully trained animals could assist soldiers, veterans, and many others with mental and physical disabilities. They rescued a forgotten Tuskegee airman, battled obstinate VA bureaucrats, and provided solace to war heroes coast-to-coast.

As Luis and Tuesday celebrated exhilarating victories, a grave obstacle threatened their work. Luis made great progress battling his own PTSD, but his physical wounds got so bad that he began using a wheelchair. He needed to decide whether to amputate his leg and carry on with a bionic prosthesis. Even as he struggled with dramatic emotional and physical changes, ten-year-old Tuesday was lovingly by his side through it all.

Luis’ death in December 2016 was another terrible tragedy of the invisible wounds of war. This book was his last letter of love to his best friend, Tuesday, and to veterans, readers, friends, and fellow dog lovers everywhere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316314411
Publisher:	Hachette Books
Publication date:	05/09/2017
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	570,520
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Luis Carlos Montalván was a captain in the U.S. Army who served two combat tours in Iraq, where he earned the Combat Action Badge, two Bronze Stars, and the Purple Heart. He was the bestselling author of Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him and two children's books, Tuesday Tucks Me In and Tuesday Takes Me There. He and Tuesday advocated for veterans and others with disabilities, tirelessly promoting the virtues of service dogs. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Ellis Henican is a journalist and TV pundit and the author of four New York Times bestsellers. His website is henican.com.

Table of Contents

Introduction: High Flier 1

Part I Road Warriors

Chapter 1 Tale of the Dog 11

Chapter 2 Getting Here 22

Chapter 3 Direct Action 33

Chapter 4 Marine Mom 41

Chapter 5 Happiest Spirit 51

Chapter 6 Dirty Water 59

Chapter 7 Father and Son 68

Chapter 8 Grooming Tuesday 80

Chapter 9 Under Arrest 91

Chapter 10 Health Scare 104

Chapter 11 Rapt in Paws 116

Part II Will and Desire

Chapter 12 New Year's Resolution 129

Chapter 13 Telling Papá 141

Chapter 14 Going In 150

Chapter 15 Under the Knife 161

Chapter 16 Moving Out 171

Chapter 17 El Paso 180

Chapter 18 Getting Fitted 189

Chapter 19 Dog Fight 198

Chapter 20 Try On 205

Chapter 21 Test Drive 215

Part III Paws Forward

Chapter 22 Older and Wiser 229

Chapter 23 Successor Dog 239

Chapter 24 Special Delivery 249

Chapter 25 Mad Dash 258

Chapter 26 HomeComing 271

Conclusion: Friends Forever 283

Afterword 289

ACknowledgmehts 293

What People are Saying About This

former trainer commander, U.S. Navy SEALs, New York Times bestselling author of Damn Few and Worth Dying For - Rorke Denver

"War affects warriors in a thousand different ways. As Luis discovered so vividly, the battle back home can be the toughest one. With loyal Tuesday at his side, Luis teaches his fellow warriors the true meaning of friendship, support, struggle and love. We all need special allies, human and canine. You can't help but love this pair. American veterans owe them both a huge debt of gratitude."

U.S. Senator - Al Franken

“Tuesday’s Promise is a remarkable, moving, and timely book, and it’s another example of what so many of us admired about Luis—his relentless dedication to improving the lives of our veterans and his boundless love for Tuesday. I still don't have the words to describe the sadness I feel knowing that Luis is gone, but I am so proud that through Tuesday’s Promise, he will continue to change—and save—the lives of others.”

former White House Press Secretary, co-host of Fox News' The Five, and New York Times bestselling author of Let Me Tell - Dana Perino

"Tuesday's Promise is a honorable and worthy tribute to Luis Montalván and Tuesday, the service dog he loved and depended on after bravely serving his country in war. I've seen through my support for Companions for Heroes how a dog can help heal a broken life, serving as a companion with a love that is almost indescribable. Tuesday's Promise captures that relationship better than any book written to date."

Lt., retired US Navy, author of The Trident and Founder of SOF Spoken - Jason Redman

“For those of us who have witnessed the unbiased cold hand of death upon friend, civilian and foe; these ghosts of war follow us home. Every now and then you find someone who understands. Luis and Tuesday stood together fighting against this enemy. Take a moment to understand this plague called PTSD and read Tuesday's Promise. It is a powerful book; the truths that Luis writes so eloquently about will inspire overwhelming pride and profound sadness and hopefully for a moment, allow you to see these apparitions, these ghosts of war.”

Editorial Reviews

"Compelling and ultimately heartbreaking...Montalván's ability, with cowriter Henican, to present the ongoing personal and bureaucratic struggles suffered by so many will likely inspire readers to become more engaged with the veterans community. Tuesday's Promise and Montalván's death are reminders of how much America still owes those who have served our country so faithfully. This powerful story has now become simply, and tragically, unforgettable."—Booklist (starred review)

"Tuesday's Promise is a honorable and worthy tribute to Luis Montalván and Tuesday, the service dog he loved and depended on after bravely serving his country in war. I've seen through my support for Companions for Heroes how a dog can help heal a broken life, serving as a companion with a love that is almost indescribable. Tuesday's Promise captures that relationship better than any book written to date."—Dana Perino, former White House Press Secretary and co-host of Fox News' The Five

"War affects warriors in a thousand different ways. As Luis discovered so vividly, the battle back home can be the toughest one. With loyal Tuesday at his side, Luis teaches his fellow warriors the true meaning of friendship, support, struggle and love. We all need special allies, human and canine. You can't help but love this pair. American veterans owe them both a huge debt of gratitude."—Rorke Denver, formertrainer commander, U.S. Navy SEALs, New York Times bestselling author of DamnFew and Worth Dying For

"For those of us who have witnessed the unbiased cold hand of death upon friend, civilian and foe; these ghosts of war follow us home. Every now and then you find someone who understands. Luis and Tuesday stood together fighting against this enemy. Take a moment to understand this plague called PTSD and read Tuesday's Promise. It is a powerful book; the truths that Luis writes so eloquently about will inspire overwhelming pride and profound sadness and hopefully for a moment, allow you to see these apparitions, these ghosts of war."—Lt. Jason Redman, retired USNavy, author of The Trident andFounder of SOF Spoken

"Luis Montalván brilliantly captures the experience of warriors returning home. This book was an honor and privilege for me to read! I am humbled by the service of these two selfless warriors."—Richard R. Peters, retired USNavy SEAL, author of Man of War

PRAISE FOR UNTIL TUESDAY

"This story of an incredible service dog is both touching and warm. Some of the struggles are painful to read, because they are so real, but that only makes the triumphs more uplifting. In the course of these pages, Tuesday truly becomes a hero, as does Luis Montalván. This book feels like more than a joy; it feels necessary."—Vicki Myron, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dewey

"This is a profoundly honest book filled with vital lessons about loss, friendship, war and the loving bonds that can save us in our lowest moments. We are all lucky that Capt. Montalván and his dog Tuesday found each other, for in their story we see the possibilities in our own lives."—Jeffrey Zaslow, coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestselling The Last Lecture

"Wow, what a book! I think I was crying on page 3. The collision of man and dog, and the unbreakable bond they form, made my heart leap. Everyone should read this book to better understand not only the ravages of war, but the amazing capacity of the human spirit to rebound. I dare anyone to read this book and not believe in the power of love to heal."—Lee Woodruff, author of In an Instant (with Bob Woodruff) and Perfectly Imperfect

"Luis and Tuesday are two true American heroes. This powerful story is a testament to the courage of veterans both on and off the battlefield. Luis is a critical voice for our community, reminding every single veteran that they are not alone."—Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director and Founder, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and author of Chasing Ghosts

"Until Tuesday explores the unique bond that can occur between dogs and people that ennobles both. This book is a moving tribute to the courage and perseverance of a man as well as the love and the devotion of a remarkable and unforgettable dog."—Larry Levin, New York Times bestselling author of Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love

"A clarion call to all who profess to care about our veterans and an intense reminder of just how high a price they have already paid, Montalván's mixture of memoir, military history, and pet story results in an urgently important tale."—Booklist

"A deeply moving story of service, sacrifice, and restoration. Years from now when critics assemble the canon of Iraq War literature, look for Until Tuesday to make everyone's short list."—Andrew J. Bacevich, author of Washington Rules: America's Path to Permanent War

From the Publisher

01/01/2017
As former U.S. Army captain Montalván recounted in Until Tuesday, upon returning home from Iraq he was rescued from pain and post-traumatic stress disorder by golden retriever Tuesday. That memoir sold 300,000 copies, so expect good things from this account of how he and Tuesday take healing to the larger veteran community. With a 60,000-copy first printing.

Library Journal

2017-04-02
Affecting memoir by wounded veteran and PTSD-treatment advocate Montalván (Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him, 2011), well known for his public appearances with his service dog, Tuesday."I've never sat down and calculated the thousands and thousands of miles we've traveled together, but I do know this much: The longest journey of all was the one inside my head." So writes Purple Heart recipient Montalván, whose body was shattered in combat in Iraq and who suffered the well-documented travails of stress upon his return. In the company of Tuesday, an affable golden retriever with dancing eyebrows, the author worked his way out of the solitude of an apartment and began to advocate for veterans' rights across the country. Montalván's tone ranges from the affectionate to the aggrieved, just as his narrative ranges from an inspirational encounter with a withdrawn Tuskegee Airman to some difficult passages describing what it feels like to be blown up, to lose a limb—and, moreover, to be sculpted surgically to accommodate a prosthetic leg: "My leg—or where my leg had been that morning—felt weird and slightly indescribable. But it didn't hurt anymore, and I can't tell you what a relief that absence of pain felt like to me." It makes a sad denouement to know that the author, who writes hopefully of a continued life of advocacy and travel with Tuesday, committed suicide after finishing the book. His co-author offers the similarly hopeful thought that "Luis is waiting in a meadow somewhere for his beloved Tuesday," but the event should reinforce Montalván's insistence that American combat veterans need more and better support from the government that sent them in harm's way. Speaking to both animal welfare and the well-being of wounded warriors, Montalván's memoir is a testimonial to the "quest for wholeness" and the healing power of companionship.

Kirkus Reviews