Spirit on the Run

Derek has always been a runner. He's spent his life running from his problems, his hurts and from the person he hates above all others-himself. This time though running doesn't involve a change of address, disconnected phone or a drinking binge, but an actual pair of running shoes. And this time, he's running for his life.

On the surface Derek is a family man who seems to have it all: a loving wife and kids, beautiful home and a great job--only Derek knows the truth. As a Native American kid from an unknown tribe, bounced around in an abusive foster system, he eventually found a home but never himself. Haunted by his fractured past, repressed rage, dark secrets and the recent tragic death of his infant son, Derek is stuck in a hellish emptiness he can't seem to escape. Now, his wife is disappearing at night, his career is on the verge of collapse and his own self-loathing is eroding his grip on reality.

Out of desperation, Derek begins to run and it triggers a series of bizarre events, the emergence of a mysterious medicine man, and opens a portal to his own painful past and a supernatural presence that has him questioning his sanity. The appearance of the entity might be the very thing Derek needs to reassemble the fragments of his shattered life...or it may reveal his ultimate destruction.

D.J. Vanas was born to teenage parents in poverty and slept in a dresser drawer for the first three months of his life. When finally moved to a crib, he mumbled for hours at a time to the baby on the Pamper's box that his mom placed near to keep him company, showing a passion to share his message right from the beginning...

Now, he is an internationally-acclaimed motivational speaker and a leadership and personal development expert that shows organizations how to practically apply the power of the warrior spirit to perform at their best, stay resilient and thrive in tough, changing environments. For two decades, he has delivered his dynamic programs in 49 states and overseas to over 5,000 audiences including Walt Disney, NASA, Wells Fargo, Boston Children's Hospital, United States Secret Service, Subaru, Costco and hundreds of tribal governments, communities and schools. He's also been invited to the White House to speak - twice.

D.J. is also the author of the celebrated book The Tiny Warrior: A Path to Personal Discovery & Achievement which is now printed is six countries.

D.J. is a tribally-enrolled member of the Odawa Nation and a former military officer. He is a veteran Sun Dancer and his given name in traditional ceremony is Mato Wambli (Eagle Bear).

He holds a B.S. from the U.S. Air Force Academy and an M.S. from the University of Southern California, has been a member of the National Speaker's Association since 1997 and currently serves as a board member on the National Board of Certified Counselors. He is also the founder and president of Native Discovery Inc.

He lives with his wife Arienne and daughters Gabrielle and Isabella in Colorado.

 
Visit djvanas.com to learn more about D.J. Vanas and his programs.