Lonely Boy

About the Book

Lonely Boy is the story of an eight- year old named Ted who tragically lost his parents and feared going to an orphanage as he overheard his grandparents discussing. His older brother Mat finally became his guardian, releasing Ted's fears, and he became a champion age group swimmer, apparently headed for the Olympics.

Mat married his college sweetheart Lara, became successful and a community leader, but died before Ted entered high school. Ted was devastated. He again became an orphan and worried that as an orphan he would be placed in an orphanage as provided by law. This affected his swimming and his prospects for the Olympics.

During all of this, a strange love story weaves into the lives of Ted's brother Mat, his wife Lara, and Mat's best friend Mark and the girls whom he became engaged. Following Mat's death, Mark now jilted by his fiancee under most unusual circumstances, spent much time with Ted and his swimming as a means of staying close to Lara, now Mat's widow. After a series of events, Mark and Lara married and were able to adopt Ted, releasing his from any fear of being sent to an orphanage.

About the Author

Dan Wettlin, Jr. was born in Kearny, N.J. and spent most of his boyhood in the South Jersey town of Haddonfield.

Following Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps where he served for three and * years. While in the Marines, he met and married his wife, Hazel, who was also a Marine. He was the first Marine in the history of the Corps to be authorized to marry another Marine! They have two sons, Dan III and Ward.

While his sons were still young they became near-champion speed swimmers in the AAU-YMCA age group swim team groups. Wettlin was active in organizing and running age group champion swim meets.

He is now a widower and currently lives in Cross Creek, a golf course community in Fort Myers, FL, where for 12 years he served as the community's Director and President. He resigned those responsibilities in 2004.