My wife Martha and I have shared 47 years of marriage filled with extraordinary challenges and miracles. Our journey began in 1978, when we moved to Augsburg, Germany for my Army service. Just seven months after our wedding, Martha was in a devastating car accident on an icy Bavarian road. As Catholics, we leaned on our faith when doctors told me she would not survive. Martha was given last rites, and I spent every night praying for her recovery. She was in a coma for three weeks, and when she awoke, she was completely paralyzed and unable to speak.

Despite the grim prognosis, Martha’s determination and our faith carried us through. Her recovery was long and difficult, and for years we were told we would never have children. Yet, a decade later, her MRI showed no sign of the accident, and we were blessed with our children, Katie and Joe. Today, you would never know Martha faced such overwhelming odds.

Our story doesn’t end there. I also suffered a severe injury at Army Airborne school, spending nine months in a body cast and two years learning to walk again. In recent years, I have faced even more health challenges: brain surgery in 2021 and 2022 for essential tremor, a leukemia diagnosis in 2024, a heart attack on Christmas 2024, a stroke in February 2025, and successful heart surgery in April 2025. Through every trial, we have seen God’s hand guiding us. We believe God has a plan for us, and we are doing our best to make every day count.

I am writing this book to inspire others facing health challenges, to show that if you are still alive, there is a purpose for you. Funds raised will help cover editing, production, marketing, and public speaking costs so we can share our message of hope and perseverance with the world.