Frank Abagnale’s story has been told by Hollywood. His tale has been worthy of not only a book but a movie and a Broadway musical.

But on Wednesday in Schofield Auditorium, he told his own story. The message Abagnale sent as he spoke to a sold out room was one of character.

Best known for being the inspiration behind Steven Spielberg’s “Catch Me If You Can,” Abagnale began conning at age 16 as a way to support himself. After his parents’ divorce and unable to choose between the two, Abagnale said he ran from home and fled to New York City.

“All children are entitled to their mother and their father,” Abagnale said. “For me, it was a very devastating choice to have to choose between the two and so I ran.”

In the city, he lied about his age to get slightly better paying jobs and supplemented his income with checks took from home.

As the checks started to bounce, Abagnale said he started searching for other work. He said he was worried about leaving New York City, but unsure where to go. While wandering the city one evening, Abagnale said he noticed a flight crew leaving a hotel, which he said gave him the idea to pose as a pilot.

His proficiency at ad libbing is what he said was the key to getting an official Pan Am uniform and a makeshift identification card.

The uniform and ID card were able to get him onto planes to travel from city to city and country to country, but Abagnale said he soon found another perk. He said every airline respects every other airline’s personal checks up to $100. He said he would spend hours cashing checks at every ticket counter.

After two years, one million miles, 26 countries and countless checks, Abagnale said the FBI issued a John Doe warrant for interstate check fraud. He said he hung up his pilot’s uniform and moved to Georgia.

In Georgia he was a doctor, Abagnale said, and in Louisiana he was a lawyer. But he said his way of life wasn’t sustainable.

“Like every criminal sooner or later you caught and I was no exception,” Abagnale said.

At age 21, Abagnale was arrested by the French police. He spent time in a French prison before being extradited to Sweden and imprisoned there for forgery. He said eventually he was sentenced by a United States judge to serve 12 years in U.S. federal prison.

He served four years and then was offered a chance to work as a consultant for the FBI for the remainder of his sentence. Today he’s been with the FBI nearly 38 years. Abagnale said he’s grateful for his second chance and that’s why he’s stayed 26 years beyond his legal obligation.

“I do not believe, nor will I ever believe a piece of paper could excuse my actions,” Abagnale said. “Only my actions could.”

Abagnale said his experiences don’t make him brilliant or a genius as he said many assume.

“I was a teenager,” Abagnale said. “I had been brilliant, I don’t know I would have found it necessary to break the law in order to just simply survive.”

Abagnale said he recognizes that many people are amazed by what he did as a teenager, but he said he’s always seen it as immoral and unethical.

“It’s a burden I live with every single day of my life,” Abagnale said. “And will, until my death.”

Freshman Kyler McLachlan said he enjoyed the speech and has looked up to Abagnale since he read his book when he was younger.

“I’m kind of sad he regretted it so much, because it’s crazy that he could do that when he was that young,” McLachalan said.

Abagnale said he was one of the few children in the world fortunate enough to grow up with a “daddy.”

“There are many fathers out there, but there are very few men worthy of being called daddy,” Abagnale said.

He said his father loved his children more than life itself. He said he kissed each of his four children goodnight every night. Now, Abagnale said he has three sons of his own and his experiences have taught him the importance of being a good father.

“The respect three boys have for their father is something I would never, ever jeopardize,” Abagnale said. “Steven Spielberg made a great film, but I’ve done nothing greater … nothing has brought me more peace, more joy, more happiness or content in my life than simply being a good husband and a good father.”

Abagnale’s speech was part of the Forum series on campus. Katy Rand, coordinator of student leadership and Greek life, said all Forum speakers are chosen by a committee of six students, three faculty and staff and three community members.

“They thought he would be a dynamic speaker,” Rand said. “Especially the student population because (they) have seen the movie and they respond well to it … they thought he’d be a fun change in the Forum series and have a different perspective.”

He said he hung up his pilot’s uniform and moved to Georgia.In Georgia he posed as a doctor, Abagnale said, and in Louisiana he acted as a lawyer. But he said his way of life wasn’t sustainable.

“Like every criminal sooner or later you caught and I was no exception,” Abagnale said.

At age 21, Abagnale was arrested in France. He spent time in a French prison before being extradited to Sweden and imprisoned there for forgery. He said eventually he was sentenced by a U.S.  judge to serve 12 years in a federal prison.

He served four years and then was offered a chance to work as a consultant for the FBI for the remainder of his sentence. Today he’s been with the FBI nearly 38 years. Abagnale said he’s grateful for his second chance and that’s why he’s stayed 26 years beyond his legal obligation.

“I do not believe, nor will I ever believe a piece of paper could excuse my actions,” Abagnale said. “Only my actions could.”

Abagnale said his experiences don’t make him brilliant or a genius as he said many assume.

“I was a teenager,” Abagnale said. “If I had been brilliant, I don’t know that I would have found it necessary to break the law in order to just simply survive.”

Abagnale said he recognizes many people are amazed by what he did as a teenager, but he said he’s always seen it as immoral and unethical.

“It’s a burden I live with every single day of my life,” Abagnale said. “And will, until my death.”

Freshman Kyler McLachlan said he enjoyed the speech and has looked up to Abagnale since he read his book when he was younger.

“I’m kind of sad he regretted it so much, because it’s crazy that he could do that when he was that young,” McLachalan said.

Abagnale said he was one of the few children in the world fortunate enough to grow up with a father who instilled ethics and morals in his children. Abagnale, who has three sons of his own, said his experiences have taught him the importance of being a good father.

“The respect three boys have for their father is something I would never, ever jeopardize,” Abagnale said. “… Nothing has brought me more peace, more joy, more happiness or content in my life than simply being a good husband and a good father.”

Abagnale’s speech was part of the Forum series on campus. Katy Rand, coordinator of student leadership and Greek life, said all Forum speakers are chosen by a committee of six students, three faculty and staff and three community members.

“They thought he would be a dynamic speaker,” Rand said. “Especially the student population because (they) have seen the movie and they respond well to it … they thought he’d be a fun change in the Forum series and have a different perspective.”