Imagine the horror of waking from a deep sleep to the reality of a horrific situation that was not a dream. The reality is man's worst nightmare. Trapped in his own body unable to move or to speak, Billy Keenan learns from his hospital bed that his last memory of riding the crest of a wave and heading towards shore on that beautiful September morning would be the last moment of his life as he had once lived it. His only desire upon waking is to crawl back into the safety of the darkness from which he has just come because he has discovered the undeniable truth: he is paralyzed.
Billy's life can be seen as a symphony in three movements. The first movement is one of light as Billy uses resilience to climb the ladder of success as an Army officer, high school history teacher, father, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader, and triathlete. The second movement is one of unthinkable darkness as Billy faces marital difficulty, spinal cord injury, abuse, betrayal, and abandonment. The third and final movement of this incredible life symphony finds Billy in a heroic fight back into the redemptive light of a purpose-filled life as a teacher, motivational speaker, and faith witness proclaiming the word of God!
The Billy Keenan Story takes the reader on Billy's incredible journey from total capability to complete disability - and finally, to acceptance, adaptation, and the determination to use his voice to make his life worthwhile and complete the mission which he believes God has laid out for him.