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Still Standing: A Journey Through Pain, Perseverance, and the Leadership It Forged
Still A Journey Through Pain, Perseverance, and the Leadership It Forged is a powerful memoir of resilience and recovery—a true story of how profound suffering can become the forge of transformative leadership.
In December 2022, the author, John D. Salter, awoke to searing pain that felt like fire running down both legs. Within hours he was in an emergency room, confronting a ruptured spinal disc that threatened not just his mobility but the very identity he had built as a Marine, an Air Force officer, and a leader.
Multiple surgeries, twelve days in a hospital “tomb,” and a stay in inpatient rehabilitation followed. There were nights when he stared at the ceiling, haunted by the question of whether he would ever walk—or lead—again.
Inside these pages, Salter takes readers into the moments that defined his
The frantic early-morning ER drives, when every bump in the road sent lightning through his spine.
MRI scans and stark diagnoses, revealing a herniation so severe it looked like a grenade lodged in his back.
Dark hospital nights filled with unrelenting pain, shame, and whispered prayers when hope seemed to vanish.
Rehabilitation milestones—from his first clumsy steps with a walker to learning, with grit and humility, how to dress and bathe again.
The quiet strength of his wife Vanessa, who became his fiercest advocate, and the steady presence of family, friends, and colleagues who refused to let him give up.
Through these experiences, Salter discovered that healing and perseverance require more than physical strength. They demand vulnerability, courage, and the willingness to lean on others. He learned firsthand that human connection is as vital as medicine, and that true strength is not the absence of weakness but the resolve to stand again after every fall.
Two Transformative Part I – The Pain That Changed Me
An unfiltered account of surgeries, relentless pain, and emotional low points—from humiliating therapy sessions to a lonely Christmas in rehab—that tested every fiber of his character. Readers will see the grit, the setbacks, and the quiet victories that shaped his path forward.
Part II – What the Pain Taught Me
Hard-won insights on leadership forged through adversity, finding purpose after trauma, and personal growth through hardship. Salter shows how empathy, presence, and authentic connection outlast titles, medals, and metrics.
More than a story of injury and survival, Still Standing is a testament to strength and courage in recovery and a guide for anyone facing hidden battles—grief, trauma, fear, or the crushing weight of expectations.
Whether you are a leader seeking transformative leadership lessons, someone confronting physical or emotional pain, or a friend walking beside a loved one in crisis, this book offers hope and a path forward.
Adversity does not have to define us. It doesn’t break us—it builds us.
In December 2022, the author, John D. Salter, awoke to searing pain that felt like fire running down both legs. Within hours he was in an emergency room, confronting a ruptured spinal disc that threatened not just his mobility but the very identity he had built as a Marine, an Air Force officer, and a leader.
Multiple surgeries, twelve days in a hospital “tomb,” and a stay in inpatient rehabilitation followed. There were nights when he stared at the ceiling, haunted by the question of whether he would ever walk—or lead—again.
Inside these pages, Salter takes readers into the moments that defined his
The frantic early-morning ER drives, when every bump in the road sent lightning through his spine.
MRI scans and stark diagnoses, revealing a herniation so severe it looked like a grenade lodged in his back.
Dark hospital nights filled with unrelenting pain, shame, and whispered prayers when hope seemed to vanish.
Rehabilitation milestones—from his first clumsy steps with a walker to learning, with grit and humility, how to dress and bathe again.
The quiet strength of his wife Vanessa, who became his fiercest advocate, and the steady presence of family, friends, and colleagues who refused to let him give up.
Through these experiences, Salter discovered that healing and perseverance require more than physical strength. They demand vulnerability, courage, and the willingness to lean on others. He learned firsthand that human connection is as vital as medicine, and that true strength is not the absence of weakness but the resolve to stand again after every fall.
Two Transformative Part I – The Pain That Changed Me
An unfiltered account of surgeries, relentless pain, and emotional low points—from humiliating therapy sessions to a lonely Christmas in rehab—that tested every fiber of his character. Readers will see the grit, the setbacks, and the quiet victories that shaped his path forward.
Part II – What the Pain Taught Me
Hard-won insights on leadership forged through adversity, finding purpose after trauma, and personal growth through hardship. Salter shows how empathy, presence, and authentic connection outlast titles, medals, and metrics.
More than a story of injury and survival, Still Standing is a testament to strength and courage in recovery and a guide for anyone facing hidden battles—grief, trauma, fear, or the crushing weight of expectations.
Whether you are a leader seeking transformative leadership lessons, someone confronting physical or emotional pain, or a friend walking beside a loved one in crisis, this book offers hope and a path forward.
Adversity does not have to define us. It doesn’t break us—it builds us.
136 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 10, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 11, 2025
Raw, emotional and uplifting all rolled into one.
As the authors mother I had to read and re-read because of my tears. John has laid his raw emotions on these pages. I was recovering from a knee replacement in another state during this time, and things were a bit sugarcoated for my benefit. My mommas heart hurt reading about John’s emotional and physical state, yet swelled with PRIDE reading his words of encouragement as he overcame so much! I can see how his journey can, and will help others. There are parts in here that have even spoke to me, and I will be able to use in my own life. John’s story is not only for those facing physical annd emotional challenges, it’s for those in their lives. His story is not only for leaders, it’s for the everyday person. It speaks to how we should be with ourselves and those in our lives. It will tug your heartstrings.0
As the authors mother I had to read and re-read because of my tears. John has laid his raw emotions on these pages. I was recovering from a knee replacement in another state during this time, and things were a bit sugarcoated for my benefit. My mommas heart hurt reading about John’s emotional and physical state, yet swelled with PRIDE reading his words of encouragement as he overcame so much! I can see how his journey can, and will help others. There are parts in here that have even spoke to me, and I will be able to use in my own life. John’s story is not only for those facing physical annd emotional challenges, it’s for those in their lives. His story is not only for leaders, it’s for the everyday person. It speaks to how we should be with ourselves and those in our lives. It will tug your heartstrings.0
December 11, 2025
This one changed me in a single night!
I read the entire book in one evening, and I swear it took me through every emotion a human can feel. All of them. As a sister, a friend, a wife, and a leader… this story hit every part of me.
John doesn’t just tell his story. He shows what happens when you stop hiding the hard parts and start learning from them. The way he breaks down the pain, the uncertainty, and the rebuilding is not just inspiring. It is a masterclass in authentic leadership.
Everyone on my team is getting a copy of this book for Christmas.
Because this is the kind of story that reminds you why your leadership matters, the impact you really have on the people in your life. And this is the kind of story that stays with you long after the last page… quietly nudging you, shaping you, and inspiring your own journey.
I read the entire book in one evening, and I swear it took me through every emotion a human can feel. All of them. As a sister, a friend, a wife, and a leader… this story hit every part of me.
John doesn’t just tell his story. He shows what happens when you stop hiding the hard parts and start learning from them. The way he breaks down the pain, the uncertainty, and the rebuilding is not just inspiring. It is a masterclass in authentic leadership.
Everyone on my team is getting a copy of this book for Christmas.
Because this is the kind of story that reminds you why your leadership matters, the impact you really have on the people in your life. And this is the kind of story that stays with you long after the last page… quietly nudging you, shaping you, and inspiring your own journey.
December 15, 2025
A Must Read
Still Standing is such a powerful book that presents the author, John Salter, in such a vulnerable way. While painful, his path to transformation is remarkable.
This story is honest, raw, gut wrenching, and inspiring. It pulls you into John’s journey of healing and restoring his life on solid ground. I couldn’t put it down! I laughed, I cried, and I finished the book transformed myself.
Still Standing is such a powerful book that presents the author, John Salter, in such a vulnerable way. While painful, his path to transformation is remarkable.
This story is honest, raw, gut wrenching, and inspiring. It pulls you into John’s journey of healing and restoring his life on solid ground. I couldn’t put it down! I laughed, I cried, and I finished the book transformed myself.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews