Biography
Cook was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi but after two years his family relocated to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where he attended the prestigious Pine Crest School and later graduated from Boyd Anderson High School. Cook began his musical career at the age of five with his family, The Cook Family Singers. His parents divorced in 1980, which brought an end to four generations of the musical group. Cook continued singing both gospel and secular music. Cook maintained residency in Ft. Lauderdale until 1990 when he moved to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Early life
In his early life while performing with his family, Cook suffered at the hands of a father with a severe drinking problem. His father would become very violent with David's mother and all of the children after becoming intoxicated. After many years of this abuse Cook developed many psychological problems that ended up following him through to his life as an adult. Cook developed a severe Dissociative Identity Disorder coupled with psychogenic amnesia. Cook recalls having periods of "missing time" but never really understood why it was happening. In 1990 the disorders finally came full front when Cook experienced what they thought was a full blown stroke while in Ft. Lauderdale and was rushed to Coral Springs Medical Hospital. Cook checked himself out of the hospital and disappeared from his Florida home and was found five months later in a Charlotte, NC hospital with similar health complaints. Cook had been around Charlotte for five months and no one realized that there was anything wrong with him until he started developing stroke symptoms again. Doctors finally realized that Cook's problems were not organic and sent him to see specialists. Cook had no recollection of leaving Florida, nor what he had done during his five months in Charlotte. When asked, he stated that, "It was like someone switching off a light and then switching it back on."
Cook's story has been told on many occasions and through various media and television shows. The creators of the television series Touched by an Angel filmed an episode entitled, "Show Me the Way Home" based on Cook's life. The episode portrays a Christian recording star that leaves his career after many tragic events and finding trouble in his walk with God. In the end, he overcomes his trials and returns to the stage and ministry with the help of the angels. The 700 Club also did a full length documentary on Cook that was aired throughout the world. Cook is the author of the published religious self help book Inspirational Words, which outlines most of his ordeal and how he eventually overcame the disorder.
Cook currently maintains residency in both Ft Lauderdale, Florida and Charlotte, North Carolina, US. He lives with his adopted son Shawn. He was married for four years but had the marriage annulled.
source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_L_Cook