On a recent Thursday evening, the Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School (FPM) library was packed with students and their parents, all who came to meet author Luis Carlos Montalvan and his service dog Tuesday. Montalvan and Tuesday were invited to discuss the book Until Tuesday: a Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him (Hyperion, 2012) as part of the school's FPM Reads program. Montalvan is a 17-year veteran of the U.S. Army, including multiple combat tours in Iraq, and was decorated with numerous awards and metals. Honorably discharged in 2007, he returned to the U.S. and experienced serious physical and psychological effects of the war. Fortunately. he was given the opportunity to receive a service dog and was matched with Tuesday. At the event, Montalvan openly shared his experiences during the war and after. He stressed the importance of understanding that being disabled does not mean that a person is a disability. As a vocal public advocate for veterans and Americans with disabilities, Montalvan and Tuesday travel the country speaking to community groups, non-profits, and schools. Their powerful message of healing, loyalty, friendship, and redemption clearly conveys the strong and unwavering bond between man and dog.

Donna and Tuesday

After his presentation, Montalvan answered questions, signed books, and demonstrated Tuesday’s ability to assist him by following certain commands. There was even time set aside for photos with the author and his dog. A special thank you went out to the Parent Teacher Student Association for providing copies of Until Tuesday which were raffled off to FPM students. Be sure to visit the website for more information about Montalvan and Tuesday—a picture book will be released May 2014, a documentary film is coming this summer, and a major motion picture is in the works.