THE EVENT: Opportunity in Adversity: From Wreckage to Resolve, How to Rise When Life Falls Apart Paperback – March 12, 2026

On March 12, 2011, a routine CrossFit workout broke Will Simmons' back.An X-ray revealed what no one expected - a tumor on his spine. The diagnosis: solitary plasmacytoma, the same cancer that had killed his friend and fellow Marine aviator just months before. Doctors said he might never walk unassisted again.Exactly one year later, he earned his CrossFit Level 1 certification.What happened in between dismantled everything he thought he was - and forced him to discover who he actually could be.THE EVENT is the book Will wished someone had handed him in that hospital bed.A retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel and F/A-18D Weapons Systems Officer, Will doesn't just tell his story - he gives you a field manual for surviving yours. Four battle-tested frameworks born from real loss, real recovery, and the refusal to let the worst moment be the final one:ADAPT - Navigate the chaos when everything falls apartREFRAME - Change the story you're telling yourselfCOURAGE - Act in the presence of fear, not the absence of itMEANING - Transform your suffering into purposeThis is not theory. This is not toxic positivity. This is a Marine who broke his back, beat cancer, and rebuilt his life from the wreckage - showing you exactly how to do the same.If you're standing in the middle of your own Event, this book is for you.Whether you're facing a diagnosis, a divorce, a career collapse, or a loss that rearranged your entire world - the frameworks in this book will meet you where you are and move you forward.Includes reflection prompts, a crisis resource guide, recommended reading, and The Event Mindset Manifesto. Read more