Bombproof: A True Story of Second Chances (Paperback or Softback)

Her life was a walk on the razor's edge. Ravaged by a devastating combination of flashbacks and seizures, Leana Beasley had all but lost hope. Then came Bronson. The dog, once a stray, was a Rottweiler mixed-breed. Named after tough-guy actor Charles Bronson and trained in a women's prison to help people with disabilities, he immediately won Leana's heart. With an uncanny ability to forewarn of seizures and a loving, unflappable personality, the animal changed-indeed, saved-Leana's life, and that of her family. Bombproof takes readers into some of society's most desperate places-psychiatric wards, emergency rooms, and prisons-as it tracks Leana and Bronson's journey of renewal and redemption.

Cheers for Bombproof

"This story spotlights the sort of image I think Rottweilers should have. Actually, the main character, Bronson, happens to be a Rottweiler-mix. Talk about the right dog for the right person. From horrifying flashbacks, to a brutal rape, to epileptic seizures, to being shuttled in and out of psychiatric hospitals, Beasley, Bronson's owner, was barely hanging on. One seizure caused her to aspirate and she wound up in a coma. Of course, Bronson didn't care much about Beasley's past horrible luck. Not only did Bronson pretty much save Beasley, but even more astounding, the dog (named for actor Charles Bronson) went on to help so many others. Dogs do heal." -- My Pet World with Steve Dale, Tribune Media Services

"What a book!...Here's an unforgettable real life saga of a desperate woman and an unflappable dog who take on the world together. Both of them could be described as bombproof." -- Greenwich Magazine

"Bombproof: A True Story of Second Chances, written by Leana Beasley and Stephen Sawicki, proved to be fascinating in its scope and layout. It is, in part, the story of a remarkable partnership with a dog who was celebrated as the Delta Society's Service Dog of the Year in 2004 in large part for his work as a seizure alert dog....I consider it to be a valuable addition to my library and give it two thumbs up." -- Joan Froling, International Association of Assistance Dog Partners

"In 1996, Hillary Rodham Clinton wrote a book called It Takes a Village. When I finished reading Bombproof, I thought the same could be said about successful assistance dog teams. This new book, published in the fall of 2007, chronicles the lives of not only Leana Beasley and her service dog, Bronson, but the people in both Leana's and Bronson's life that made this team a reality....Bombproof at times can be a difficult book to read. It is painful to experience, even second hand, the treatment of people with mental illness. It is also a joy to see what can be accomplished with the help of a village in the successful placement and training of a service dog team. It is a joy to see both Leana and Bronson succeed when given a second chance." -- Jeanne Hampl, Forward magazine, the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors

Leana Beasley and Bronson live in Washington state. Stephen Sawicki is the author of Teach Me to Kill and Animal Hospital. His journalism has appeared in People, Time, U.S. News & World Report, and The New York Times.