Behind the Writing of The Courage to Live: Why I Had to Tell This Story

I have wanted to write a book for a long time. It was one of those goals I started and stopped many times, usually because life’s challenges and responsibilities pulled me in different directions. Writing always felt important, but it was hard to make space for it.

Eventually, I reached a point where I knew I needed to commit fully. I hired a book coach, cleared my schedule, and made the decision that for one week I was going to immerse myself completely in the writing process. I flew to Costa Rica and for seven days straight I did nothing but write. From the moment I woke up until late at night, I stayed focused on the words and the stories that needed to come out. By the end of that week, I had something tangible, a full draft of a manuscript that I could finally hold in my hands and say, “This is the beginning.”

That week was just the start. Since then, I have spent nearly every evening working on the book. Writing, editing, rewriting, and shaping the message has become part of my daily rhythm. It has been exhausting at times but also rewarding in ways that surprised me. As I sit here now, I have just finished the final round of edits with my editor, and The Courage to Live is officially set to be released on October 1.

Finishing the manuscript has brought up a mix of emotions. More than anything, it feels vulnerable. It is one thing to tell stories in conversation or share experiences in a classroom or on a stage. It is something very different to put those same stories on paper, where they will live forever. In this book, I don’t only recount the events of the 1 October mass shooting or other critical incidents I was part of. I also open a window into what it felt like in those moments. The fear, the confusion, the weight of the decisions, and the aftermath. I wanted the reader to not just know what happened but to feel it, because that is the part of the story that often goes untold.

I also wanted to go further than simply recounting events. Throughout the book, I talk about the inner battles we face with emotions like fear, anxiety, and guilt. I share what I have learned through my own healing and through therapy about how to navigate those intense emotions when they show up, both in the moment and long after an incident ends. Alongside the stories, I provide tools that can help readers manage stress, regulate their emotions, and begin their own journey toward resilience and healing.

Writing The Courage to Live has been one of the hardest things I have ever done, but it has also been one of the most meaningful. My hope is that by being open about my own experiences, others will find something in these pages that helps them, whether they are first responders, leaders, or simply people who have faced their own struggles.