Last night while out with some good friends to watch FIREWORKS (love them!) I met a woman named Terry, a former swimmer from the University of Maryland, who had just started reading my book. She said she was honored to meet me. But really, it was my honor to meet her.

Terry has four children (ages four to ten- I think - who were so well-behaved), and her husband is in the Navy serving our country in Iraq. I got tears in my eyes as I took a picture of Terry and her children, standing in front of an American flag, to e-mail to her husband and their dad. He will be home in October.

On the Fourth of July we celebrate our country and its history. This morning my son talked about how he saw the ”real” Declaration of Independence in Washington with his Uncle Stephen (of course, he also mentioned he saw it in the movie, National Treasure).

For me the holiday has meant different things in different years. Certainly back in 1992, the summer I was in San Diego, I celebrated my independence from the hospital. Several years later, I can recall a picture of my family: Jamie, the boys and I, wearing red, white and blue sitting in a hammock at my cousin’s house: in San Diego. I had a lot to celebrate.

This year I again celebrate with my family, here in Annapolis: boating with friends, watch Olympic Trials, thinking of our families and friends celebrating afar.

And praying for a family I just met, whose father is afar - and thinking of all our military families who are separated on this patriotic holiday. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

Check out tomorrow’s USA Today newspaper - July 1st - the Sports section! After reading about the World Records that are falling at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials- you can turn to page 3 and read an article about What Though the Odds.

This is an exciting week in the sport of swimming. The U.S. Olympic Trials meet might just well be the fastest meet in the world. Last night Ryan Lochte broke the World Record in the 400IM and didn’t even win the event! Of course Michael Phelps is just amazing. As is Katie Hoff. The 400IM is a tough event -and they make it look easy. World Records are falling!

On the USA Swimming website there is a box where you can vote on how many World Records will fall during Trials. I voted for 4-6. That might happen in the first three days.  GO TEAM USA!!!

I have been asked and contacted about putting together a discussion guide for the book - for Book Clubs or other groups. Soon (once I figure out how to do it!) I will carry a link with suggested Book Club questions. I have solicited a few friends who are members of a book club to help with these. If you would like a copy of this discussion guide before it is posted, just send me an e-mail and I will mail it back to you.

Additionally, if you have any suggested questions or discussion topics, please send them and I will include them in the Guide.

Thanks for everyone’s support and help! And thanks for visiting!

I have received so many wonderful e-mails from friends, family members - even strangers - who have each read the book. Most have included something along the lines of “I stayed up until 2:30am finishing the book.” Or, “I ignored my kids all day so I could finish the book.”

Most recently a grandmother wrote to tell me she started the book ten minutes before her grandson’s birthday party - and then spent the next two hours waiting for the party to end so she could get back to the book. WOW!

Okay, well our children and grandchildren need us too - but I appreciate everyone taking the time to read the book AND to reach out to me with an e-mail!

You can contact me through this website. If you e-mail, I will respond. And I’d love to hear from you!

Happy Reading - Share the Inspiration!

We are in the Outer Banks (North Carolina) with some friends from Annapolis - and my husband arrived this morning with a box of books! FINALLY!!!

And it was indeed worth the wait. The culmination of years of hard work, many emotions, several tears, lots of laughs and the dedication of many paid off.

I can not yet find the words to express my thoughts at seeing the actual book. I think I will enjoy this moment, this weekend, and take time to celebrate and relax.

Thank you to all who have waited, believed, prayed and wished me well!

Patience is a virtue…

Or so they say.  Right now, patience is being put to the test in our household!

The book was supposed to be shipped from the printers last week, but now I have been assured they will ship THIS week.

Patience.

Did I not learn patience 16 years ago? Apparently not.

Patience.

Was it worth the wait 16 years ago? Absolutely.

Patience.

Is it worth it now? ABSOLUTELY!
Hang in there everyone –as Paul Revere said about the British (or maybe he didn’t):
The book is coming!  The book is coming!

This morning I received a call from Teri Winslow from The Capital here in Annapolis. We met last week and she has called before. This morning she was calling with “a list of questions” - and she apologized for it!  What??  I APPRECIATE IT!

The media often gets things wrong, though not intentionally - and often times publishes their own “take” on a story. But not in my experience.

I have had the fortunate pleasure of meeting and working with persons from the media who have the same philosophy as I do: to tell a truthful and inspiring story. That was how I wrote the book. And that is why I appreciate so much the media’s willingness to do the same. THANK YOU!

The book has recieved some great press over the past couple of weeks. Some of the articles can be read on the links listed on the right. Last night I was on a sports radio show in South Bend, Indiana. That was great! And can be heard on the SOUTH BEND RADIO link. Scroll down to Weekday Sportsbeat Archives and “Haley Scott (6/4)”

Enjoy! And thanks for visiting!

 I have received so many wonderful e-mails through this website, and I will continue to answer them all. I want to share two stories as examples of why this story needs to be told, especially now.

From a father in PA:

You are such an inspiration. My daughter is thirteen years old and is a swimmer on our local YMCA team. She is facing a serious surgery this summer on her spine. She has scoliosis and must have fusions done at the top and bottom of her spine. My daughter says she can’t wait to return to the pool but she is also getting more quiet and angry as the surgery draws near. Please know that I will tell her your story and feel certain that it will inspire her to push on.

From a mother in CA:

 I just wanted to let you know what an inspiration you are to me.  I am so touched by what you have gone through during the past 16 years of your life.  I pray that I can find the courage you found. I am a 29 year old mommy who has back and neck injuries and I have practically given up on ever having a happy, normal life again. I look forward to your book. I hope that one day I too will be able to be a good wife and mommy again. This is also why I am so happy to have come across the article about you in the paper.  You gave me the hope that maybe life will not be the horrific way I dream it to be.  Maybe there will be a way out of this darkness.  I haven’t come across any young people who have/are going through this type of pain and disappointment, but you have.   People I have met either discount my pain because they do not know or they scare me even more with stories of people they have known whose entire lives were ruined by a back injury.  Not you: you’re the positive person I wish I could be!

What a gift for me to share my story with others, and what an honor to be able to help others. Thank you for visiting!

While trying to find a publishing company for What Though the Odds, several publishers asked Why now?

Why now? is a good question and has a great answer: The perspective of time.

Certainly I could have written a version of this book several years ago - and the facts of the accident, my injury and recovery, and return to swimming would have been the same. The facts have not changed over time. 

However, this book is the story of a journey. A journey that began the night of Januray 24, 1992, and in many ways continues to this day. It is a journey of grieving - both for my teammates lost; and for the life I could no longer have, for the swimmer I could no longer be, and for the person who could not go back to “the way things were.” It is a journey of healing - learning to live with this tragedy and to embrace the goodness that came from it. Yes, goodness.

We all experience tragedy in our lives. It is a part of life we can’t control. What we can control however, is how we deal with it. 16 years ago I could not have told you what it was like to live with tragedy in my life. 16 years ago I could not have told you that there are lessons I have learned from the bus accident for which I am thankful. 16 years ago I could not have told you that I am a better person, a more thankful person, a more spiritual person, because of what I have endured.

That is the story. That is the journey. That is the answer to “why now?”

USA Swimming is the governing body for the sport of swimming. From grass-roots programs to the Olympic Team, USA Swimming guides, educates, promotes and develops swimmers and swim teams across the country.

Five years ago, USA Swimming’s Executive Director, Chuck Wielgus, and Chief Marketing Officer, Rod Davis, came to me with an idea to promote the sport of swimming in a mainstream way. Chuck and Rod introduced me to people who were so vital to this book coming to fruition: Rick Derby, who spent months interviewing my former teammates and coaches; and Bob Schaller, my co-author who spent 2 1/2 years on this journey to publish this inspiring book.

In continuation of their support of my story and their belief in the power of the sport of swimming, USA Swimming has agreed to run excerpts from my book, one over each of the next four weeks, on their website.

Check it out:

www.usaswimming.org

Thanks to all the folks at USA Swimming!