silence was my first language

Rich Dunning is the award-winning author of Silence Was My First Language, recipient of the Literary Titan Silver Book Award. His debut memoir is the culmination of more than fifteen years of writing and chronicles an extraordinary journey from childhood abuse, neglect, poverty, homelessness, and addiction to recovery, resilience, and hope.Professionally, Rich has spent nearly three decades as a senior executive in the medical device industry, leading commercial organizations and helping bring innovative healthcare technologies to patients around the world. While his career has been defined by leadership and achievement, his personal life tells a far different story.Growing up in the South Bronx, Rich endured years of violence, instability, and trauma that shaped his childhood and followed him well into adulthood. For decades, he carried those experiences in silence while building a successful career and family. After choosing sobriety on July 7, 2017, he began the difficult work of confronting his past and ultimately found the courage to write the story he had spent a lifetime hiding.Silence Was My First Language is more than a memoir-it is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and a reminder that our past does not have to define our future. Through his work, Rich hopes to inspire conversations surrounding childhood trauma, addiction, recovery, resilience, and men's mental health while encouraging others to believe that healing is possible.The book has earned the Literary Titan Silver Book Award and has been recognized for its emotional honesty, compelling storytelling, and fearless exploration of truth. Rich has also been featured in a Literary Titan author interview and podcast discussing the inspiration behind his memoir and the message he hopes readers carry with them.Rich has made a lifelong commitment to donate $1 from every copy of Silence Was My First Language sold to organizations supporting children affected by abuse, homelessness, food insecurity, and exploitation. He believes every book sold should do more than tell a story-it should help change one life.Rich lives between South Carolina and Florida with his wife, Gina, and has 3 manuscripts that follow this book.