Dr. Tyra Manning’s story is both unique and universal, as it demonstrates the pervasive devastation of loss while demonstrating how courage and love can triumph. Tyra’s husband was shot down over the Laotian jungle while flying a top-secret mission during the Vietnam War. She learned of his death while she was hospitalized at the Menninger Clinic, where she was being treated for depression. Tyra’s worst fear had come true.
Determined to fulfill the rest of the dreams and promises she and her husband had made to one another, that she get well and become a teacher, Tyra persevered through the darkest of times. Ultimately, Tyra earned a doctorate in education from the University of Kansas, becoming one of the nation’s top school superintendents.
She has devoted her forty-year career to helping children achieve their highest potential. Since retiring in 2004, Dr. Manning’s mission has been to share her personal journey of hope with people who are experiencing depression, addiction, and loss.
Though she travels around the country delivering the messages and lessons in her new book, Where the Water Meets the Sand, Dr. Manning is a born and bred Texan. She currently resides in the Texas Hill Country.
The Hidden Victims of War
There’s been a great deal of buzz recently about Ken Burns’ recent documentary chronicling the history and context of the Vietnam War. During the time of the War, I was a young woman with a small child. My husband, Larry, had recently deployed to Vietnam, and was killed when his plane was shot down while […]
Musical Memories: The U.S. Air Force & I Can’t Stop Loving You
Nostalgia is a powerful force. Sometimes it sits besides you like an old friend and other times it sneaks up when you least expect it. Two recent holidays, National POW/MIA Recognition Day on September 15 and the Air Force Birthday on September 17 have evoked deep nostalgic feelings within me and reminded me of two […]
Look for the Helpers
On a beautiful fall morning 16 years ago, our nation’s collective consciousness was shattered by the horrific attacks on the World Trade Center. That day, our shared belief in the safety of our nation and its borders was instantly changed into a sense of disbelief, fear and anger, all of which persist to this day. […]
