The Hallelujah Life - Paperback

by Richard D. Propes (Author)

Since 1989, nationally recognized activist and child advocate Richard Propes has traveled over 6,000 miles by wheelchair on a one-man mission he calls The Tenderness Tour. In 1989, Propes started The Tenderness Tour with $20 in his pocket, a backpack on his wheelchair, and an uncertain mission to travel for 41 days and over 1,000 miles along the roads of Indiana. A paraplegic and double amputee born with spina bifida, Propes had already far outlived expectations, though he'd experienced more than his share of tragedy along the way including experiencing childhood sexual abuse and the suicide of his wife and death of his newborn daughter. What started out as desperation turned into a life mission offering hope and healing to adults and children alike. Propes returned home from that first Tenderness Tour and set out to change his life and change the world. 30 years later, he's still traveling the roads at 2-3 miles per hour with at least one Tenderness Tour event every year, over 6,000 miles covered, and nearly one million dollars raised for organizations worldwide. Named as one of the 25 Best Wellness Books by Best Ever You, "The Hallelujah Life" is both a brutally honest story and a relentlessly inspiring journey of one man's search for tenderness and lifelong devotion to giving it to everyone he meets.

Author Biography

In 1989, a homeless and hopeless Richard Propes, a paraplegic/double amputee with spina bifida, set out in his wheelchair from downtown Indianapolis on his first "Tenderness Tour," an effort to bring awareness to child abuse issues. That first trip turned into a 41-day, 1086 mile journey that changed his life and has continued to inspire thousands from around the U.S. Since 1989, Richard Propes has traveled over 3,000 miles by wheelchair raising awareness on child abuse, domestic violence and other family violence issues with a specific focus on how they impact children. He is the founder/director of the Tenderness Tour, an Indiana-based organization committed to establishing "A Peaceful Home for Every Child." with 100% of funds received on road tours donated to children's organizations worldwide. The Tenderness Tour is the only all-volunteer organization to distribute funds in every nation of the world. He is the founder/artistic director for Heart n' Sole Film Festival, Indiana's first cause-oriented film festival dedicated to finding creative ways to address social justice issues and the founder/publisher for The Independent Critic, www.theindependentcritic.com, a film website devoted to a unique blend of movie reviews and social outreach. Along with his film criticism, Propes is the author of two books, "Imaginary Crimes" and "The Secret Heart" and "The Gimp Goes Shopping: Wheel Adventures in the Real World," an irreverent blog celebrating the disabled consumer. Propes is also the author of four produced plays, most notably his one-man show "Casanova Walks." Additionally, Propes is a member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. Richard is a licensed Church of the Brethren minister and a board certified expert in traumatic stress. Richard's next book, "Touch Can be a Loving Experience," will be released in 2013. Richard is widowed and resides in Indianapolis, Indiana.