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Title details for The Valley of the Shadow of Death by Kermit Alexander - Wait list

The Valley of the Shadow of Death

A Tale of Tragedy and Redemption

by Kermit Alexander
Alex Gerould
Audiobook
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In this heart-wrenching memoir, former NFL star Kermit Alexander tells the devastating true story of the horrific massacre of his family and his subsequent years of despair, followed by a spiritual renewal that showed him a way to rebuild his family and reclaim his life.
On the morning of August 31, 1984, in the South Central section of Los Angeles, three armed men broke into a house, brutally murdering two women and two young boys.
The victims were Ebora Alexander, Dietra Alexander, Damani Garner, and Damon Bonner—the mother, sister, and nephews of retired All-Pro cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers Kermit Alexander.
In his own words, Kermit Alexander finally shares the full story of what happened to his loved ones and the aftermath of that tragic day. He recounts the hours leading up to the massacre, and how afterward he lost himself in the LA underworld, pleading, bribing, and threatening in a search for answers. He describes his journey through the “wilderness” of despair—the years of isolation living out of his car, broke, depressed, and sick. We also learn about his coming-of-age in 1950s LA, the following decade he spent in the NFL, the events leading up to that fateful August day, and finally the shocking truth behind the murders. Kermit opens up about his darkest hours, but also what it took to turn his life around, rebuild his family, and ultimately find peace.
Ominous and intense, powerful and uplifting, tragic and triumphant, The Valley of the Shadow of Death is more than a rendering of one man’s adversity; it’s testament to the value of family and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming loss.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    September 22, 2015

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780399566905
      • File size: 320843 KB
      • Duration: 11:08:25

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      June 22, 2015
      In this unconventional memoir, Alexander—a former All-Pro cornerback in the National Football League during the late 1960s and early 1970s—reveals the chilling details surrounding the cold-blooded murders of his mother, sister, and two nephews in August 1984. These gang-related killings set the community of South Central Los Angeles on edge and formed divisions within the previously close-knit Alexander family. The author eventually took to the streets of L.A.’s underworld, a vigilante on the hunt for the killer. With extensive input from San Francisco State University criminal justice professors Gerould and Snipes, Alexander weaves a compelling narrative that rivals a first-rate thriller. Relevant, concise histories of L.A. gang warfare and capital punishment add context, and Alexander recounts the killers’ trials with unexpected detachment. He inserts stories from his athletic career but only to advance the primary narrative. The book ends on a high note: with the killers finally behind bars, Alexander, now 74, has rebuilt his life in California with a new wife and five adopted children from Haiti. Agent: Scott Mendel, Mendel Media.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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