The Long Way Around

Leon Mecham has reached a place in life where there is contentment, peace, and fulfillment. But getting there was not a straight path. As the title of his memoir suggests, Leon took the long way around, learning life's lessons in sometimes harsh and dangerous ways. His is a story of resilience and accountability, of believing in oneself, and standing firm when one's world is wavering. His is a story of survival -- physical and emotional -- and proves that a man's character is not determined by his upbringing but is embedded in his soul and nurtured by the dictates of his own heart.

Leon Mecham has reached a place in life where there is contentment, peace, and fulfillment. But getting there was not a straight path. As the title of his memoir suggests, Leon took the long way around, learning life's lessons in sometimes harsh and dangerous ways. His is a story of resilience and accountability, of believing in oneself, and standing firm when one's world is wavering. His is a story of survival -- physical and emotional -- and proves that a man's character is not determined by his upbringing but is embedded in his soul and nurtured by the dictates of his own heart.

Leon Mecham grew up in poverty, in a family whose Mormon values were starkly juxtaposed to the lives they led. Leon felt nothing but rejection and disdain from drug-addicted parents who abused him, belittled him, and took advantage of him, sending him off to the Texas oil fields when he was just eighteen to earn money to help support the family. But after fighting his own demons, overcoming his own addictions, dealing with his own heartbreak, and learning the harshest of life's lessons, Leon found his footing and eventually emerged a successful, happy man. Today, he and his wife, Renee, live in Fredericksburg, Texas, where they enjoy a peaceful and content life and occasional rides on their Harley.