At age 29, with the help of a very special educator, Nelson Lauver was diagnosed with dyslexia and made it his goal to finally learn to read and write. In the 18 months that followed, intense struggle, burning desire and a never-give-up attitude enabled him to achieve his goal, and change his life. Nelson learned to read and write, and that was just the start.
With the gift of literacy, a new world suddenly opened up to him.
“I was now ready to read my first book. I selected Booker T. Washington’s autobiography, ‘Up from Slavery.’ Although I’ve read a lot since then, this book remains the most powerful for me. Booker T. Washington’s story is one of perseverance at its finest, and the inspiration borne of his struggle and ultimate success remains with me.”
Today Nelson Lauver is an acclaimed broadcaster, speaker, humorist, award-winning narrator, author and advocate for literacy and disabilities awareness. Nelson has become a master communicator with a powerful message that he shares with radio and Internet listeners and live audiences around the world.
For the last decade, loyal radio listeners across the country, and from every walk of life, have been entertained and encouraged by Nelson’s tales of real Americans — their struggles and triumphs — via his 4-minute radio feature, The American Storyteller Radio Journal.
A world-class storyteller, Lauver has written and produced over 300 audio essays for AST, prompting comparisons to the work of Charles Kuralt, Garrison Keillor and even the legendary Mark Twain. His fans have affectionately dubbed him “The Rockwell of Radio.”
As a professional speaker and humorist for the last fifteen years, Lauver has been sharing his own story to help others reach their potential. His message, delivery, and example have made him an in-demand speaker for educators, associations, government agencies, civic groups, corporate audiences, and disability groups. Nelson passionately believes in the value of every human being. With his gift for weaving true stories into valuable life lessons Nelson helps people to realize their vast potential and ability to face adversity head on..
Adversity Taught him to Succeed
Nelson’s struggle with literacy resulted from severe dyslexia that went undiagnosed during his school years. After breezing through first grade as a curious, outgoing boy who loved school, Nelson’s life was up-ended. Undiagnosed dyslexia turned his promise and hopes into struggle, embarrassment and ultimately anger as he fell far behind his classmates and was deemed “lazy.”
Confused, angry and determined not to be the “dumb kid,” Nelson decided to create himself a new identity as the “bad kid.” He quickly succeeded at his mission — to ensure that no teacher wanted him in class for a second year. It was a persona Nelson hated, but he saw no options. He soon found himself in a no-win situation, living life at odds with himself and educators wed to a disciplinary code that relied on a heinous system of corporal punishment.
No matter how bad things got, Nelson would not confide his learning difficulties to anyone, for fear of ridicule or even worse — further punishment.
Still curious and hungry to learn, Nelson found an unconventional education, observing the lives of the colorful characters of his hometown. He’d ask questions, listen to their stories and somehow commit every detail to memory. He’d lie awake at night, connecting the dots, creating a mental list of more questions: Who was related to whom? … What kind of work does he do? … When did the ancestors of that family come to America? Nelson also became a huge history buff and couldn’t get enough of the war stories told by his father and the other locals.
Nelson hid his literacy problems as best he could by developing unique coping strategies and, unknowingly, developing strong verbal and memory skills. As a teenager, he resigned himself to being hopelessly different and joined the ranks of millions of Americans who struggle to conceal their functional illiteracy.
Socially promoted year after year, despite failing grades, Nelson graduated from East Juniata High School in 1981 and was given a diploma that he struggled to read.
“Of course, as an adult, I realize the best thing I could have done at the time was confide in my Dad,” Nelson says thoughtfully. “I did everything I could to keep my parents in the dark. As a scared kid, telling them didn’t enter my mind. I thought ‘this is just something I have to handle myself.’ I had no idea what a learning disability was — and in the rural Juniata County of the 1960s and ‘70s, I doubt many people did.”
"I backed away from a lot of social and school activities over the years, for fear that if I got too close, people would figure out that I couldn’t read or write and then think I was a “dumb” kid. I became a bit of a loner.”
Nelson knew his lack of literacy skills meant he could never find work in a "regular" job. In order to earn a living he needed to be his own boss. Out of necessity, Nelson became an entrepreneur.
He began by buying and selling scrap metal as a teenager, then working at his father’s gas station. He started other businesses too, a classic car restoration company with his brother, even brokering heating oil. Sometimes his business ventures took off, other times they didn’t, and Nelson was left wondering how to support himself. He kept getting back up and moving forward — learning how to deal with adversity. With each new business venture his frustration grew, and Nelson was forced to develop new skills to hide his inability to read and write.
Although he did manage to keep food on the table, it wasn’t by doing what he wanted to do with his life. As a young boy, he had imagined himself as a lawyer, skillfully arguing a case — or as a broadcaster, communicating with listeners. He knew he could do more, he just didn’t know how to break out.
So, for the time being, he just moved on to his next business venture, painting parking-lot lines.
From Line Painter to Word Painter
In 1992, while Nelson was busy on a parking lot job, a stranger stopped and asked for directions. Nelson tried to help the man, who handed him a tablet and asked him to write them down. When the man realized he’d made an impossible request, he asked Nelson if he’d ever been tested for dyslexia.
Brief as it was, that encounter changed Nelson’s life. He knew two things: He didn’t want to paint parking lot lines for the rest of his life; and, if he was going to have a better future, it was time to swallow his pride and seek help.
At the man’s suggestion, he turned to the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) to help find strategies for dealing with his dyslexia and learning to read and write.
Exhaustive professional evaluations determined that, as a means of compensating for his reading and writing disability, Nelson had unconsciously honed his listening and speaking skills to extraordinary levels. It was an asset that came into play when — as part of the vocational rehabilitation process — he needed to choose a stable career path.
Nelson’s thoughts returned to his boyhood dream of becoming a lawyer or a broadcaster. His desire to become a broadcaster was more powerful — and he had the voice for it, too.
Confident in his new literacy skills, Nelson stepped behind the microphone and began his career as a broadcaster, professional narrator and voice-over artist. There was great demand for his natural, comfortable voice and cadence. Nelson discovered that to stand out in the world of broadcasting, he simply needed to be his imperfect self.
A communicator finds his calling…The American Storyteller Radio Journal
During vocational rehabilitation, Nelson’s counselor suggested he use a word processor to help him continue improving his sentence structure. Not knowing how, or what, to type he started to "hunt and peck" colorful short stories about his boyhood, his friends and the small Pennsylvania community around him.
He soon discovered that buried deep under years of anger and frustration was a gifted writer and storyteller just waiting to be set free.
Nelson’s stories were to become the basis for what is now The American Storyteller Radio Journal, which he created in 2000.
He presented it to all of the major radio distributors in the United States, and it was promptly rejected by each and every one. Undaunted, he struck out on his own and single-handedly started marketing his show to radio stations. Today, The American Storyteller Radio Journal touches the lives of radio listeners in the U.S. — and across the globe.
One of the most interesting aspects of The American Storyteller Radio Journal is its diverse audience. Nelson’s writing focuses on our country’s rich tapestry, with no religious or political leanings. That may be why AST stories have a great following among individuals from every walk of life. At a time when our country is so polarized, Nelson’s stories help people find common ground.
Nelson’s Stories Reach Out to English Learners Around the World
Although Nelson’s stories are every bit a reflection of the American experience, they have also garnered praise from international listeners who enjoy his refreshing snapshots of life here. Both in the U.S. and abroad, his audio stories and transcripts have been embraced by English-language teachers and students, eager for meaningful study materials.
A Speaker and Humorist
As a speaker and humorist for nearly 15 years now, Nelson has been entertaining and inspiring audiences with his thoughts on goal-setting, personal achievement and human potential.
Nelson travels and speaks to many diverse groups, from colleges and universities to corporate and charitable organizations.
His proudest moment came in 2003 when he was invited to share his "Rules for Beating the Odds" at the very school where teachers had given up on him.
His strategies for finding a better life and building self-esteem are ingenious and refreshing.
Literacy and Learning Disabilities
In addition to his work as a keynote speaker and journalist, Nelson continues to be an advocate for literacy and frequently addresses educators and literacy groups around the world.
Most Unlikely to Succeed...
"I’ve just completed work on a memoir, "Most Unlikely to Succeed." It’s my story – but it is everyone’s story in that it is about persevering and finding your voice."