Nothing Left to Prove, Nothing Left to Hide
The Long and Winding Road to Redemption of Major Thomas Tosto
Scott J. Zuckerman
Sunbury Press, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, 2023, 192 pages
Book Review published on: May 3, 2024
In the book Nothing Left to Prove, Nothing Left to Hide: The Long and Winding Road to Redemption of Major Thomas Tosto, author Scott J. Zuckerman captured the raw true patriotism and sacrifice in the story of Maj. Thomas Tosto at a time when our country experienced the most devastating attack on our soil on 11 September 2001. The story of Tosto as told through the lens of one of his mentors and associates is one of the most inspiring biographies I have ever read. It captures the spirit, struggles, and demons he fights with internally and how he coped, survived, and overcame his ordeals. This book captures the true essence of a man who grew up in post-World War II America in a very patriotic but somewhat dysfunctional family. The book’s title perfectly describes the journey of this American who gave up a successful civilian medical practice to serve his country in a time of need and despair. The stories and experiences he shares are real, personal, and shocking at times but genuine to the core, which adds to the power of the message conveyed in his story.
Zuckerman highlights the relevant and significant personal, and professional events in Tosto’s life. He sets the conditions for the biography by discussing Tosto’s relationship with his parents, siblings, and close relatives which led to many of the guilt and low self-esteem issues that the young Tosto fought growing up. He was starving for the acceptance of his father and mother who were not very affectionate parents. He competed with his sister and felt that anything he achieved was not good enough for his parents. Young Tosto hardly received any positive feedback from his parents or sibling which planted a seed of doubt in his mind about himself.
The devasting attack on the Twin Towers on 11 September 2011 had a tremendous impact on him. Tosto’s parents discouraged him from joining the military during the Vietnam War, and this later proved to have a profound effect on him. His dad was a World War II veteran and Tosto saw the attacks on 11 September 2001 as an opportunity to serve his country like his father did in World War II. He not only joined the service but also volunteered to join the 82nd Airborne Division and be a paratrooper at the age of fifty. That is unheard of for someone his age, which speaks volumes on the drive and determination he had to serve his country and prove himself to be a worthy citizen. His sacrifice of a commission into U.S. Army as a medical professional at his age and time in his career was truly a selfless act. His determination and drive to be a paratrooper were demonstrated by his successful completion of airborne school at the age of fifty. That alone is quite an accomplishment.
Tosto was a gritty, tough, and determined individual. He reported to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as a battalion surgeon, later elevating to be a brigade surgeon in the 82nd Airborne Division. Tosto proved a godsend on multiple deployments with the 82nd to Iraq and Afghanistan. His unselfish acts and commitment to helping others in very dangerous situations separated him from other medical officers serving. He was well respected and thought highly by his peers and superiors. Zuckerman also looks at Tosto’s personal ordeals and his relationship problems with family and spouses. Zuckerman brings out the human element of Tosto that even though he may be a hero and great surgeon, he has domestic and personal problems like everyone else. The point he makes is that Tosto had many obstacles to overcome, but he did not let that overshadow his goal to be a great warrior for his country and to make his dad proud of him. Sometimes our struggles and adversities help make us a better, stronger person. The testimonials from other soldiers in the book are compelling and clearly define what a strong and caring individual he was. The one that sticks out the most is the soldier who lost his leg from an improvised explosive device on an Iraq deployment and was ready to give up on life. The relationship that he formed with Tosto was the key to saving this paratrooper’s life. The patience, counseling, and therapy that Tosto provided proved to be the turning point in this soldier’s life. He regained his self-esteem and self-worth and was inspired to be the first amputee to be a member of the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team.
The end of the book added an interesting twist to his story and shed light on the true relationship problems that stemmed from young Tosto’s childhood. It explained the communication problems he had with his parents and sibling and the impacts it had on his multiple marriages. Tosto’s parents had passed away years before this biography was written but he was able to heal some wounds between them before they passed away. He had extensive discussions with his parents that revealed the truth about many things that were painful but proved to answer a lot of the unknowns. As mentioned earlier, Tosto’s father was a World War II veteran, which inspired Tosto to serve his country. However, his father was not entirely truthful to the young Tosto. He told him stories of serving under Gen. George S. Patton during their race to Berlin, which were simply not true. Tosto also struggled with the truth. He told people that he served in the Vietnam War, which was false and something that he painfully had to reveal the truth about to his close friends.
The bottom line is that Tosto’s father truly loved him and was very proud of him and only wanted the best for him. He could not express that to the young Tosto, who struggled to please his father and mother his whole life. Tosto finally realized from his father’s eyes that he had nothing left to prove or hide in his life.
Book Review written by: Lt. Col. Jerome C. Duffy Jr., U.S. Army, Retired, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas