All are welcome to come and listen to Kathleen Depperschmidt and Jim Fawcett at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, in the Event Center as they discuss their book “One American’s Story.”

Jim Fawcett's life began unremarkably until he was 19. He flunked out of college twice, realized he had a duty to fulfill and enlisted in the United States Army. As a platoon leader in Vietnam, he found strength, courage, and fortitude he didn't know he had until he found himself responsible for his life, and the lives of more than 130 young men like himself. His trajectory of service was changed by an injury. Upon his return to the United States, he completed dual degrees in college, and married and began his family. He became successful in banking, but couldn't keep the ghosts of PTSD at bay. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2008, but he went forward with his plans to run as a Kansas state legislator, and was elected. After a life-threatening illness in 2013, he again rebounded, and continues to be a successful businessman to this day. 

This book details his struggles to live the life he wanted, while serving first his country, then his family, as well as his business and government endeavors. He shares his unique insight from these experiences, and relates the events in our current national and world stage to the ongoing nature of conflict, political and social upheaval and addresses the pandemic that raged while this book was being written.