| Dwana I have just finished reading your book “ Walking On” and I was so absorbed I didn’t want to put it down even to go to work. I have wondered throughout the years how you have been making it and am happy that you have overcome the hard blows you have been dealt in your life. I can not and will not say I can understand what it was like for you to lose your parents as a child but I can say I could only imagine.You are a strong person and are to be commended for keeping your father alive in the hearts and minds of the people. He was a great man in my opinion and I never even met him. Keep up the work and I hope your children keep it going as well when you are no longer able to. Lots of prayers from me to your family and I hope someday it will be possible for the whole truth to come out about the deatho of your father. Just another West Tennessee citizen who believes in justice and goodness. - Joyce |
| Dwana I ordered your new book, and received it in November. I had my wife wrap it up as one of my Christmas presents. I opened it up on x-mas eve and started reading. I could not stop until I finished reading every page. I would like to thank you for opening your heart, and sharing your life with us. I cannot find the words to express my heart felt sorrow for you, and the loss of your mother and father, I was with my family for Christmas, and all I could think about was you and all the holidays and special moments that were robbed from you, by lousing both your parents at such an early age. I’m sure you’ve heard this time and time again, if there’s anything that I can ever do for you, just call, I’ll come a running. You keep Walking Tall. Thank You Ronnie Mac |
| In their New & Noted section, American Profile Magazine (www.americanprofile.com) says, “Find out the real story of famed “Walking Tall” movie sheriff Buford Pusser in “Walking On,” a fascinating biography by his daughter, Dwana...”
In addition to the exposure to American Profile website visitors, the online Picks are also made available as free syndicated content to “publishing partners,” the 1,500 U.S. newspapers that carry American Profile weekly into nearly 10 million U.S. homes to some 25 million readers. Many of these publications use the reviews as entertainment editorial. |
| Dear Mrs. Garrison (Pusser); I just finished reading your book Walking On. I must say I this book was fascinating! I have been a fan of your father Sheriff Pusser for years now. I remember the first time I ever seen the original Walking Tall movie with Jo Don Baker, I was a little boy at the time, back in the 80’s, I remember saying to my mother “WOW, he’s so cool!!” I couldn’t stop my interest in researching anything I could about Sheriff Pusser and what had happened in McNairy County. Recently I ordered the “Big Stick and the DVD Walking With A Legend. First I want to express how nice everyone was on the phone with me and handling the “mishap” with the DVD. I still think the Post Office up here are not dealing with a full deck, but the foundation took great care of the order and my phone calls. I didn’t want to be any burden to you or your staff by calling, I didn’t want anything lost between there and here. Back to your book... I loved it, I read it in 2 days flat. I couldn’t put it down, even while at work I was reading it. People was wondering what I was reading, I proceeded to tell them about Sheriff Pusser and his battles with the State Line Mob and how he stood tall against all odds. After a couple of incidents I told them, their eyes became wide and they kept asking questions about the Sheriff. I told them that they needed to get your book and go to the website to find the facts and not the myths. One of my friends who never heard of Buford Pusser learned of what he did while in office and out, he became a fan also. One person asked me why I look up to a dead person, I simply said “People like Sheriff Pusser had what it took to stand up against the evil and wrongs, he had guts. You rarly find anyone today with that because of fear.” It is fear that disables people from standing up against evil, or the government that is corrupt. You can not keep looking the other way and expect anything good to come from it. I just wanted to thank you for all your kindness and I am planning on visiting the museum and the county next year when the weather gets better. Doug |
| Dwana, It took me a few weeks to get your book from Amazon. This morning I finished reading it as it was like all of the other books I own (I think I have them all) about your father it was hard to set down as I read it in two days. I remember watching Walking Tall when I was a young man and I drew an interest in your father. I have been told I am the Buford Pusser expert in Wisconsin by other law enforcement officers but I am not. I enjoyed your book and look forward to attending the annual celebration in Adamsville this spring. Keep the faith and thank you for taking the time to keep the spirit of your father alive as writing it probably opened some old wounds. Your father was a good man and he is still watching over you. James |
| ms. pusser, i do want to take the time to tell you i’ve already read the book and it is outstanding. i found it very informative, and answered a lot of questions for me. i am three years younger than you and i have always been a great admirer of your daddy’s. i was a pararescuemen during the gulf war where i was injured, leaving the military i obtained my lifelong dream of entering law enforcement. i spent two years on patrol then became a drug enforcement agent for five years before medically retiring due to injuries from the military. during this time i tried to uphold the values and principles your daddy exhibited. my next goal is to make it to the yearly festival and tour the museum. thank you so much once again for writing the book, i can only imagine how difficult it was. chad |
| Wow! I just had to send a quick e-mail. I was listening to The Phil Valentine Show and caught just the last of your interview and now very interested in the story of your dad. To be honest, I have never heard of him or anything about him. I went to your website and now looking forward to reading your book. I'm hoping I can get it at the library. All I know is what I heard during the interview, but it was enough to draw me in and want to find out more. I can already tell by the interview and visiting the website that Sheriff Pusser was an awesome man with integrity! .....Linda |
| Hi Dwana, i have been a big fan of your dads,ever since the 1st walking tall movie came out,which i am the proud owner of! may his memory live on forever! it will in my heart and mind.keep up the good work,Dwana! i know your dad would be very proud..... Sincerely,Ron |
| I haven’t written you before but I wanted to today. I live in Birmingham, AL presently but was born and grew up in Tupelo Mississippi. I am quite familiar with the North Mississippi area (Alcorn County -Corinth; Tishomingo County, etc.) and Memphis, Jackson, and Selmer Tennessee. I didn’t know of your dad at that time (I was born in 1960), but as I have grown through the years, I have become such a fan of him and admire so much what he did while in law enforcement. Several years ago, in the late 1990’s my family and I visited your homesite and I also visited your Dad’s gravesite. Someone asked me a couple of years ago what I wanted for Christmas and my only request was that they get me “anything about the life of Buford Pusser”. One of my gifts was the Walking Tall Trilogy DVD Set. I have seen them several times and I started watching them again this week and was thinking of you and just wanted you to know how much I appreciate you keeping the memory of your Dad alive. I really admire him and what he stood for. I wish we had more men like your Dad around today. Thanks for your time and best wishes always to your family. Maybe someday I will have an opportunity to meet you, shake hands and say Hello.....Barry |
| I know you Don’t Know me, but I admired Your Father so Much and I loved How He Stood up For Right I want you to Know I am Praying for You and Your Family That GOD will Bless And Keep you.I can’t imagine The Pain you must go through Daily Please know the Murderers will not get away with this because there is coming a day that GOD Himself will deliver The ones That Killed your Father.I just wanted to let you know I am Praying. GOD BLESS YOU......Scott |
| In 1974, I was a 21 year old who had been in law enforcement officer for 2 years - I enlisted in the US Army when I was 17 and had become an MP when I was 19. April, 1974, I was back from Viet Nam for a year and 4 months when I heard on the news about Sheriff Buford Pusser of McNairy County who had been killed in a car crash that was of suspicious nature. I had already seen both of the movies at that time about Sheriff Pusser and knew if he was half the man portrayed in the movies he was someone I wanted to measure up to. I was driving at the time I heard the newscast of his death - having just graduated from criminal investigations school at Ft Gordon, GA. I had to pull to the side of the road and cry - cry for the loss of someone I had come to respect. I know Hollywood often embelishes a story - but I knew that if Sheriff Pusser had done half of what they portrayed, he was a man I wanted to emulate. Now, 33 years later, I’m still in law enforcement and like to think I continue to “Walk Tall” in what I do. While I know I will never even hope to fill Sheriff Pusser’s shoes, I continue to try. I currently serve as a narcotics officer and the drug enforcement coordinator for a four-county drug task force and hope to continue in law enforcement until into my 70’s. With that said, I was Googling the Sheriff tonight to add him to my MySpace - although technologically challenged - with the help of my daughter I think have figured it out. On my MySpace I have my heroes - John Wayne, Teddy Roosevelt and Sheriff Pusser. It was after I posted pictures of the Sheriff that I saw where you’ve asked that pictures used are appropriate to memory of the Sheriff. While the pictures I’ve used came from other sites, I can assure you that I have used them on my MySpace with the sole intent of showing honor and respect for the Sheriff. I would ask that you peruse my MySpace and see that I have not demeaned him in anyway. If you have questions or concerns please let me know. Additionally, I would like to thank you for honoring Sheriff Arpaio at this year’s festival for his efforts in doing the right thing. And, I didn’t realize it until Googling tonight (aren’t computers and the internet great?) that there was an annual festival to commemorate the Sheriff. I will be there next year.......Doug |
| My whole life I have loved what Buford Pusser stood for personally and not just the Hollywood style films. However, for me, Dwana is a true heroine and has shown no less courage walking tall in the face of life’s challenges. As of last week, I fulfilled my dream of visiting the Home and Museum in Adamsville, Tennessee. My thanks to all who made the tour possible. My son and I had a great time as we added to our collection of lasting memories. While in Adamsville, I learned that Dwana also faces the MS challenge. I have been fighting MS for a few years now myself. It can be a tough fight at times. I would love to have meet Dwana in person while there but it was not in the cards to happen. Please let her know that I send her and her family my best wishes for health, prosperity and the upcoming book release.......Chris |
| I watched the original “Walking Tall” as a kid and loved the movie, felt immense respect for your Dad, and very sad for your loss. Later on, while viewing the 2nd “Walking Tall” and the “Final Chapter” I never believed your Dad’s death was an accident. But, it wasn’t until “The Rock” was starring in the “Walking Tall” movie that I remembered the originals, rented and watched them again, and searched online for anything I could find on Buford Pusser. I am contacting you from the Official Website. You are an amazing and resilient woman! I have so much respect and admiration for you and what you are doing. Your Dad is someone that is an unforgettable hero, I just recently have been reading about Joe Arpaio, from Arizona, and on one of the sites I saw that he attended the festival. Can you imagine what could be done if we had Joe and Buford working together??! We sure need more people like them in this world! I don’t even have the words to describe how much I appreciate your site and everything you do. It makes me feel the need to go to Adamsville/Selmer area. I really look forward to reading your book!.........Terry |
| I’m a long time admirer of your father and the story. It would take too long to tell you about my passion for the story, plans to rewrite the script one day, and hopefully meet you in person. We just recently shared the original Walking Tall movie, as well as the Final Chapter with our two boys: Jackson – 10, and Sam – 8. They are about the age my parents took me to see the first one at the theatre (one that they upon hindsight wish they hadn’t at the time). It might have been a bit over the top for their age, but I am glad I got to see it when I did; my fascination has never wavered since!....Tim |
| My name is Kathy and I wanted to let you know I am thinking about you and your family today, August 12th. Buford was my hero in the early 70’s. He came to Tupelo, MS once, but I didn’t get the chance to meet him. I was always in awe of his story and legacy for cleaning up crime, even had my Dad to make me a BIG STICK after seeing Walking Tall, I was a real tomboy!! We really need more Bufords in our society today, every town would benefit from someone like him. I am 45 years old now, and love to tell my children how much I admired the man “who walked with the big stick”.....Kathy |