A Note from the Author, Linda Ellis
A few pages from the Author
My name is Linda Ellis, the author of this biography. In 1996, I wrote a poem that became a world-renowned inspirational work, an entity unto its own. It is titled: The Dash. The poem is about that little line in between one's dates of birth and death... that hyphen that ultimately represents every step we take on earth.
There is one stanza from the poem, in particular, that kept repeating itself in my mind throughout my journey learning about Joe Dorsey and compiling his stories for this book:
"For it matters not, how much we own: the cars, the house, the cash.
What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash. "
Each and every one of us has stories to share from this journey, that I have dubbed, "our dash. " Yet, have you ever wondered as I have, why certain people seem to have a greater cache of unique life experiences from which to draw? Realistically speaking, the occurrences from most of our lives can be filed under a list of common denominators such as of love, loss, happiness, sadness, etc. Yet there are people whose list extends far beyond those commonalities.
Some are admittedly thrill seekers who don't wait for life to extend invitations. They create their own encounters and therefore will conquer each in their own way, on their own time. But others simply follow their path, and that path itself presents extraordinary scenarios not suggested to most of us. This is what I've discovered as I've gotten to learn about the "dash" of Joe Dorsey. Surviving hardship alongside his siblings in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Cleveland, he had to find and rely upon an innate strength very early in his childhood That strength, combined with courage, honesty and faith sustained him as he followed the routes his own life's journey would lay out for him.
As Joe and I began to travel through a myriad of memories, as could have been predicted, he began to have vivid nightmares. Living these types of events once is hard enough but having to recount details only puts one's mind back in the same place at the same time. His dreams brought him once again to some of those places he'd tried hard to leave behind They were so real, so vivid, so alarming. For the first few weeks of verbally re-experiencing his life's events for this book, haunting recollections would awaken him suddenly at 3 and 4 AM.
Life continually offers us lessons, though many times we don't realize them until we experience the benefits of hindsight. Learning about the heart and soul of a man like Joe Dorsey has changed me forever, and for that I am eternally grateful. His uncanny ability and willingness to recall the experiences of his dash with such transparency has moved me, and will do the same for you, the reader.
So many live a successful, yet predictable existence. Sure, every dash has its share of loss and calamities, but the majority of us live a routine, standard and probable life. In comparison, the resume' of Joe Dorsey includes jumping out of helicopters in violent storms to save lives, going undercover in narcotics operations, mournfully collecting body parts from trees after a jet plane crash, feeling the cold metal of a .357 against his chest, delivering the news to a disabled young girl that her mother, her soul caretaker had been killed, collecting millions of dollars of unpaid gambling debts overseas, and raising two kids as a single father.
This comparison by no means suggests that one life is more valuable than the other… but the contrast has to make one wonder if perhaps God (the universe, or whatever or whomever you may believe in) through infinite insight knows those unique individuals who are up to such challenges.
Joe and Karen Classic Car Show in Coeur d'Alene, ID circa 2020
Joe and Karen at his 80th birthday at Las Vegas Ellis Island Casino.
After getting to know Joe, I no longer speak in terms of Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, or right or left. I understand and appreciate those who have fought for my country and those who still do. I understand that there are good and bad people in every facet of life, politicians and law enforcement included. We don't agree on every issue, but through Joe I have learned to trust my own instincts, rather than blindly following what is broadcast as truth. I still hold strong beliefs in certain areas, but my inner core has been altered I have had the opportunity to see inside the type of man whose principles I greatly respect and admire.
I have done my best to portray Joe Dorsey as the man he is, which honestly was not that difficult. Because the man I met and interviewed is the real deal. He has no hidden agendas, he tells no lies, he puts on no pretenses. He doesn't care if you agree with him, or frankly if you like him. At work and in life, he was the type of man who led by example. He is by all accounts as transparent as an individual can be, especially after the unusual and extraordinary life he has lived. From saving lives during his military career to rising to professional pinnacles, Joe Dorsey is a living example of the adage: "actions speak louder than words. "
Joe doesn't offer apologies for his transparency, nor will I in this book. He knows who he is...his friends and family know who he is...and only God knows what's truly in his heart. What more can a man ask for than to be true to himself, his loved ones and his God?
Joe doesn't offer apologies for his transparency, nor will I in this book. He knows who he is...his friends and family know who he is...and only God knows what's truly in his heart. What more can a man ask for than to be true to himself, his loved ones and his God?
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