First published 2011
Lauren Manning had built a successful career in business, married a loving husband, and welcomed an infant son. Her confidence came from intelligence, beauty, and hard work. On September 11th, a wall of fire at the World Trade Center burned over 80 percent of her body. As she fled the burning tower, Manning made herself a promise: she would see her son's face again. The next ten years became a journey that pushed her beyond human endurance. Manning refused to surrender to the terrorists, the pain, or the impossible odds. She drew on lessons learned long before that September day about perseverance and faith in oneself. But surviving was not enough. Manning realized she needed complete transformation to embrace her life and family in an entirely new way. Her story reveals how she turned near-death into rebirth, creating miracles through sheer determination.
Genres: non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, personal-development
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: overcoming-adversity, personal-growth, resilience
Setting: World Trade Center
Period: September 11th
272 pages · Hardcover · Henry Holt and Co.
Content warnings: medical-trauma