An American Hero

An American Hero: One Man's Legacy of Fatherhood and Faith is a poignant and inspiring journey through four generations, revealing how one World War II survivor's resilience, integrity, and unwavering faith forged a life-giving legacy that transformed not only his family but also countless lives around him.

With his highly successful business career winding down, Tom Davis Jr. knew the time had come to give voice to the insights and inspiration that have propelled him along a path of excellence in commerce and beyond.

To do so, he quickly realized he needed to tell the harrowing story of his father: a servant-hearted World War II survivor, a leader and mentor, a man who emerged from the darkest depths of abandonment and loss to build a life-giving legacy that has blessed not only his son but countless others.

An American Hero shines a spotlight not only on the author’s dad but also on a colorful cast of real-life heroes and villains who played pivotal roles in shaping their descendants—sometimes for better, too often for worse.

As this no-holds-barred, four-generation saga unfolds, you will be captivated by:

• the secrets to living a life of unmatched integrity and unshakable purpose
• how the author’s father survived (and thrived) amid the pain of betrayal
• what it means to establish new patterns that can transform a family’s destiny
• how our deepest wounds can become the seeds of healing and growth
• . . . and much more.

In a sweeping, intricately woven tale spanning more than a century, the author invites you to draw inspiration from his father’s hard-won legacy—his character and charisma, his toughness and tenacity—and to apply the wealth of wisdom you glean to your own life, work, and relationships.

Tom Davis, Jr. obtained his A.A. while playing football at Tennessee Military Institute, and later earned his G.G. degree as a graduate gemologist. Having apprenticed as a jeweler, he worked in the jewelry department at Rich’s in Atlanta, doing so well that he was promoted, finally becoming the vice president of distribution and transportation. Then, at the age of thirty-two, looking to escape corporate politics, Tom began buying and selling used construction equipment.

Not long thereafter, he formed his own company, AT-PAC. During a trip to Greenville, South Carolina, at Flours Daniels Equipment yard, the president of AMECO offered Tom to purchase forty container loads of scaffolding, located in Edmonton, Alberta. He did. Succeeding in this deal, he was awarded another contract for a $1.7 billion project, establishing his business, which continues to operate profitably, even though he is semi-retired.

Tom and his wife, Michelle, both philanthropists, live in Boca Raton, Florida. An avid sportsman and big-game hunter, Tom has five children and seven grandchildren, two girls and five boys.

A prolific author, Jack Watts has been published twice by Simon & Schuster—Hi, My Name Is Jack and Recovering From Religious Abuse. He has written thirty-four books and screenplays, including nine biographies, six of them commissioned. Jack received his A.B. from Georgia State University, his M.A. in Church-State Studies from Baylor University, and all but his dissertation for a Ph.D. from Emory University. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia, and has five children, eleven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren so far.