Former NPH Volunteer Pens Inspiring Biography of Beloved Youth Wilmer Arias

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Wilmer Arias was a young man from Guatemala who suffered a traumatic accident as a child that left him paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life.

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4 Apr 2023

Encinitas, CA – Former Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) volunteer Matthew Callans has published the first-ever biography of the late Wilmer Arias, an inspiring young man from the NPH home in Guatemala.

Since 1954, Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos™ (NPH) has cared for thousands of vulnerable children and families. To date, over 17,600 children have been cared for by this unique and loving family in nine countries in LatAm, being Guatemala one of them.

NPH Guatemala opened its doors in 1996. It is a child home for more than 450 children who come from different communities with a social risk and extreme poverty background. As stated by the NPH founder, Fr. William B. Wasson: ‘’doing good belong to all of us’’ and that is why through the generosity of a worldwide network of support organizations, the children are provided with food, clothing, shelter, medical care and an education through a home, campus, clinic general kitchen and a professional staff and international volunteers who serve the beneficiaries. This is the place where Wilmer Arias comes from and where Wilmer’s book was gestated in hands of Matthew Callans.

Wilmer Arias was a young man from Guatemala who suffered a traumatic accident as a child that left him paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. After spending his adolescent years angry and confused about his circumstances, he experienced a complete transformation when he began to understand the power of the mind. Once Wilmer decided to stop seeing his life through a lens of limitation, his entire life changed, and he inspired thousands along the way with his principles that now define his legacy.

Callans is thrilled to share Arias’ story with readers worldwide. “It was one of Wilmer’s dreams to share his story with others in a way that would encourage them to find their own purpose in life. Wilmer was my brother, friend and teacher. I feel honored to play a role in helping his legacy live on,” said Callans.

Wilmer is available in both English and Spanish and has already reached readers in sixteen countries. “In Wilmer, Matthew Callans brings us an engrossing account of the life of Wilmer Arias: a life of extraordinary suffering, remarkable endurance, hard won perspective, and the triumph of choice,” said Lee Huntsman, PhD, president emeritus of the University of Washington.

Matthew Callans is a writer and entrepreneur who lives in Encinitas, California. Upon graduating from Chapman University in 2016, he spent a year in Guatemala volunteering as an English teacher at NPH. Now, he is the creator of this initiative that describes a mindset that allowed Wilmer to thrive amidst circumstances that seemed to destroy him.

Having the book is a great opportunity to know what’s behind the life of a NPH child and how their life is transformed thanks to the dedication of many people, but above all, the love that is received through the actions, no matter how small they are.

To acquire a paperback or Kindle in Spanish, click here.

To obtain an English version, visit this link.

You can also find the book on the Goodreads platform and please leave us your messages to build up traffic to the book and thus, greater awareness.

For more information about Wilmer, to request a review copy in English or Spanish, or to schedule an interview with the author, please contact Matthew Callans at [email protected]. Let’s share with everyone this story of hope that empowers to embrace his reality with courage.