Steel Will: My Journey through Hell to Become the Man I Was Meant to Be

On February 19, 2007, SSG Shilo Harris was patrolling an infamous southern Iraqi roadway when his Humvee was struck by an IED. Moments later, three members of his crew were dead and Shilo had sustained severe burns over 35 percent of his body, lost his ears and the skin off his face, and lost much of the use of his badly mangled fingers. This fiery moment was just the beginning of an arduous road laced with pain, emotional anguish, and much soul-searching. For forty-eight days Shilo lay trapped in a medically induced coma as his wife, unable to ease his suffering, had to come to grips with a man utterly changed.

This is the story of a young boy raised in a small Texas town under the heavy yoke of a father struggling with the personal aftermath of his service in Vietnam. This is the story of the first human being to participate in extracellular stem cell regeneration to regrow lost body parts. This is the story of the survivor not only of an explosion but of more than sixty surgeries to restore both form and function to his broken body. This is the story of the wife who stood by his side, made hard decisions, and continues to support her husband through his struggles with PTSD.

This is the story of a God who reshapes us into the people he wants us to be. And in that way, this is the story of all of us.

Anyone whose life has been touched by tragedy and loss, especially military families dealing with PTSD, TBI, amputations, and other realities of wartime service, will find strength, encouragement, and inspiration in this moving memoir.

From the Back Cover

"Staff Sergeant Harris has made a choice not embraced by veterans of wars past to talk and talk and talk about what he's experienced--a soldier turned messenger. He leaves crowds standing at attention, as he honors his friends who have fallen."--August Skamenca, reporter, CBS News

"In Steel Will, we see what happens to an ordinary man in extraordinary circumstances. We see what happens when an ordinary man rises above a bleak prognosis, when an ordinary family surrounds their hero with love and hopefulness, and when an extraordinary, miracle-working God places his hands on the one he loves."--SFC Leroy Petry, United States Army Medal of Honor recipient

"This book should be required reading for every American, especially our youth. Shilo Harris is a true patriot and an American hero. This book embodies the essential spirit of America by reminding us that being a hero isn't always judged by your accomplishments. It is often judged by your sacrifice so others can have their accomplishments under a blanket of freedom."--Ric Savage, former professional wrestler and television host

"SSG Shilo Harris, in his writing, has exposed his soul like no other author. His life is open and raw, revealing his unwavering faith, his clear understanding of the risks of war and its heartbreaking impact on all those who are touched by it. Steel Will is a book that will emotionally rip you apart but will have you cheering at the end."--Fred Gregory, Air Force Vietnam vet, astronaut, NASA Deputy Administrator

"I thought my story was tough. But reading Steel Will put me in the fire, in the coma, and on the rocky road to recovery. When the last page was turned, I felt honored to know the man of Steel Will, Shilo Harris."--SFC US Army (Ret) Dana Bowman, HALO for Freedom Warrior Foundation