Iron Heart: The True Story of How I Came Back From the Dead (26 page)

T
his book is not just a story of what I overcame, but a story of how life can sometimes bring momentous obstacles that need to be conquered, no matter how bleak the situation. Therefore, I must pay tribute to all the following.

The firemen, rescue squads, and helicopter crews who risk their lives everyday to save lives. Much of the time, every second is crucial. These brave men and women are the unsung heroes, and I thank them for getting me out of the car and keeping me alive, both at the scene and in the air:

Grateful doesn’t even begin to express my deepest appreciation for Prince George’s Hospital Center. This facility had the tools to put me back together, and support and encouragement came from the entire hospital—from every area and unit, from the hospital president and the medical departments, to the cafeteria staff, the security, and the parking lot attendants. It became a support system for me and my family. Huge thanks to my physicians, Dr. Said Daee, Dr. James Catevenis, Dr. Mohammad Nafisy, Dr. William Boyce, Dr. Saeed Koolaee, and others for never giving up on me. I’m in awe of what you did for me, and feel that you went above and beyond to save my life. I will be forever grateful as well to my nurses, who cared for me as if I were their son, brother, or even grandson; to Donna Lanier and the radiology department for the endless CAT scans, MRIs and X-rays; to the surgical units that performed the many operations to keep me alive. The expertise, dedication, and teamwork throughout the hospital shone through all my treatment, and I am living proof of their excellence.

I am grateful to Coach Glenn Covey, my high school track coach, for being by my side through the good times and bad. You were even with me in the ICU to cheer me on, but this time you weren’t coaching me in a sport but pushing me to fight for my life. I thank you once again.

Appreciation goes to all the blood donors everywhere. Without all of you, I wouldn’t be here. I will forever remember your selfless acts of kindness. The American Red Cross blood donor program provides survival to those when least expected.

Kernan Rehabilitation Hospital, thank you for jump-starting my therapy.

My outpatient center, Child and Adult Rehabilitation, provided the intense therapy I needed, and I thank them for working so hard with me and getting my body out of that wheelchair.

To my family, friends, and the supportive people all over the world, thank you for your prayers, letters, cards, and emails with words of encouragement.

I would especially like to thank my cousins, Matt and Hayley, for always standing vigil, literally to my left and right, allowing me to lean on your shoulders during a time when I desperately needed the support or to have a good laugh. You always knew how to put a smile on my face. To my good friends Rachel Gearhart and Jessica Grow for being there throughout my recovery and healing: you both will always have a special place in my heart, more than you’ll ever know. To Sam Fleming, thanks for helping me get my swimming back on track, as a coach and as a friend. And, to my grandfather, thank you for always being there for me, in everything that I’ve done and continue to do in life.

St. Mary’s College of Maryland, thank you for your support and encouragement. Thanks especially to my professors: Colby Caldwell, Sue Johnson, Carrie Patterson, Joe Lucchesi, Patrick Kelley, Cristin Cash, Lisa Scheer, David Ellsworth, Ben Click, and Cynthia Koenig. Thanks to Coach Andre Barbins, Assistant Coach Julio Zarate, and my college swim team for making me feel part of the team no matter the outcome.

Thank you, Jay Cutler, for helping me get my muscles back, and Gary Hall, Jr., for your inspiring words, which helped me get back in the pool.

Mahalo
to the Hawaii Ironman, World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), NBC, and Peter Henning for allowing me the opportunity to live my life without fear again. My deepest appreciation also extends to these fine people from the WTC: Ben Fertic, Andy Giancola, Blair LaHaye, Bill Potts, Jessica Weidensall, Kevin Mackinnon, Gaylia Lynn Osterlund, and Jennette Harshman. Crossing the finish line in Kona confirmed that my insides were really okay. It was the final healing phase for my body and my spirit. I will always be grateful.

All the sponsors who helped me and continue to support me on my Ironman journey also deserve appreciation and thanks: 4EverFit Nutritional Supplements (which also helped me gain weight back during my rehab), Timex Watches, PowerBar Sports Nutrition, Cannondale Bikes, K-Swiss, Profile Design, Foster Grant Sunglasses, Kinesys Sunscreen, Nathan Active Hydration, Newton Running Shoes, and TYR. Gratitude also extends to PCH Sports and Murphy Reinschreiber, Wendy Ingraham, and Shannon Delaney.

Thank you to Skyhorse Publishing and Tony Lyons for believing in this project. I began writing about my journey as another form of therapy in late 2004 after I was released from the hospital. After several years of writing, my literary agent Bill Katovsky, who has been a mentor and editor, helped me realize my dream of getting this book published. Without him,
Iron Heart
(he also came up with the title) would never have happened. He pushed, motivated, and steered me in the right direction through every chapter and almost every sentence of this book. I’m forever grateful for his generosity. Bill taught me how to write from the heart, and that’s ultimately the book’s foundation.

And, finally, to Mom and Dad: You were there every single day that I was in the hospital. There were only three visiting hours a day, but you got there in the morning and left in the late evening. You were there by my side through the good, the bad, and the horrible. Every time you came in to see me in the hospital, you did not know if I was going to be dead or alive, but you always kept the hope. That hope is what ultimately brought me back from the dead and into life again. Your love saved me, and for that reason, you are my world. Thank you for always believing in me, even when I was too tired and sick to believe in myself. I love you, Mom and Dad. We did it!

Brian Boyle’s
Iron Heart
blog and contact information can be found at
http://brianboyle.wordpress.com
.

Bill Katovsky is the editor, author, and coauthor of several books, including
Embedded: The Media at War in Iraq
, which won Harvard’s Goldsmith Book Prize. A two-time Hawaii Ironman finisher and founder of
Tri-Athlete
magazine, Bill can be reached at [email protected].