Matt Miller, 20, a University of Virginia student and member of the college triathlon club, had just pedaled up a mountain pass. He was on top of the world in so many ways, in love, with dreams of attending medical school, so fit his resting pulse was 42! And then, cycling along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, relaxed and happy after completing the most difficult part of his 85-mile ride, he rolled off the crown of the road on to the shoulder, overcompensated, and swerved across the double yellow line falling face-first into the path of an oncoming Porsche. He broke every bone in his face, suffered extensive brain injury, and stopped breathing. The real story is not what happened, but what happened after. The first car on the scene happened to be driven by an anesthesiologist, out for a foliage tour with his wife, and the best person in the world to open an airway and get someone breathing again. Matt wakes from a coma and his first question, scrawled with his broken hand, honestly, is "Can I go to physics lab?" Matt continued to recover in the most astonishing ways -- within two years of the accident, Matt was accepted into the University of Pennsylvania medical school, and as a first year medical student competed in the Ironman in Cozumel, finishing in 10:30!!
I share with readers the incredible, humbling, miraculous story of Matt’s survival and recovery. It is a story, truly, of grace and grit, of an America that shines – families, community, individuals and institutions. The book is as gripping as it is inspiring.
The Road Back is not only about a young man’s drive to reclaim his life, but about the people who rode with him, rescued him, helped him heal, and saw up close his amazing comeback. His high school girlfriend, Emily Privette, stayed with him through it all, is with him now at Penn med, and they are engaged!
Many have raved about The Road Back. Here are four short reviews:
"The Road Back is an incredible story of survival and recovery against all odds. Matt Miller's focus and determination are unbelievable and inspiring -- I'll never again have an excuse not to get out and train." –Erin Donohue, 2008 U.S. Olympian, 1500 meter run.
“I read it in one day. LOVED it! Matt Miller's story is one of inspiration and perseverance. Mr. Vitez's writing is captivating as he describes the unwavering fortitude that brought Matt from near death to medical school and Ironman success. Matt’s character and love of life remind me so much of my brother… amazing book about an amazing man." -- Maddy Crippen, 2000 U.S. Olympian, 400 meter individual medley, and sister of the late Fran Crippen, who died in an open water swim off the coast of Dubai, and who plays a key role in Matt's story.
THE ROAD BACK can be purchased in paperback on Amazon.com at http://amzn.to/GVPGQK or at www.THEROADBACKBOOK.COM, where you can also find reviews, podcasts, excerpts and more about me. THE ROAD BACK is also available on Kindle, Nook and Ipad, and for the next two weeks, as a special offer, the e-books will be discounted from $5.99 to $2.99. Enjoy, and if you love the book, please spread the word! --Michael Vitez
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