Wordfest presents Dave Williams

A fun-filled and inspiring night out for all ages, don't miss this riveting conversation with Canadian astronaut Dave Williams on the art of exploration, discovery and what makes life worth living. Dr. Dave has set records for spacewalking, has lived undersea for weeks at a time, saved lives as an emergency doctor, launched into the stratosphere twice, and performed surgery in zero gravity. Hosted by Paul Karchut, this event includes an on stage interview, followed by an audience Q&A and book signing. $20 + GST & fees in advance / $25 at the door.

Dave Williams

Dr. Dave Williams is an astronaut, aquanaut, jet pilot, ER doctor, scientist, and CEO. The former Director of Space & Life Sciences at NASA, he has flown to space twice, once on the space shuttle Columbia and once on Endeavor, logging over thirteen million kilometres in space and over seventeen hours of spacewalks. He has lived and worked on the world’s only undersea research habitat and is the recipient of five honourary degrees, the Order of Canada, and the Order of Ontario. Williams lives in Oakville with his wife, Cathy, two kids, Evan and Olivia, and nephew, Theo. Connect with him on Twitter @AstroDaveMD.

Defying Limits: Lessons from the Edge of the Universe

I had dreamt about becoming an astronaut from the time I watched Alan Shepard launch on the first American suborbital flight on May 5, 1961. Eleven days before my seventh birthday, I committed to a new goal: one day, I would fly in outer space.

Dr. Dave has led a life that most people only dream of. He has set records for spacewalking, has lived undersea for weeks at a time, saved lives as an emergency doctor, launched into the stratosphere twice, and performed surgery in zero gravity.

But if you ask him his secret, he’ll say: “I’m just a curious kid.” He learned to scuba dive at only twelve years old, became a doctor despite academic struggles, and overcame stiff odds and fierce competition to join the ranks of astronauts he had idolized as a child.

There were setbacks and challenges along the way — the loss of friends in the Columbia disaster, a cancer diagnosis that nearly prevented him from returning to space — but through it all, Dave never lost sight of his goal. And when he finally had the chance to fly among the stars, he learned that the destination can be spectacular, but it’s the journey that counts.

This is an inspirational, uplifting, and life-affirming memoir about being an astronaut and a doctor, an adventurer and an explorer of the world. Dave proves that whether we’re gravity-defying astronauts or earthbound terrestrials, we can live an infinite, fulfilled life by relishing the value of each moment.