Triumphs, Tragedies, and Tears: Life Journey of a Mid-South Doctor, Part One

Young Negro boy, what will you do when time makes you a man? Will you miss the mark or fight to hold your stance?

Those words, stated by an eighth-grade history teacher, became the mantra for author James V. Ellis. In Triumphs, Tragedies, and Tears, part one of his memoirs, Ellis provides a full account of his life and career and highlights about his work—from growing up as a little boy on welfare without a father, to working as a respected physician and becoming a dedicated husband and father, to his suicide attempt, and short prison term.

The story of a boy who dreamed big, Triumphs, Tragedies, and Tears shows how one black man overcame many obstacles to become a successful doctor in the Mid-South and then had to begin a new life with life tools that promote spiritual connectedness, mental and physical fitness, and emotional maturity. His recovery is and continues to be a miracle, inspiring many to hope and dream rather than give up.