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Mighty
A near-death experience leads one man to do the impossible in Matt Crofton’s inspiring memoir, Mighty . While exploring the caves of Costa Rica in 2010, Matt contracts a deadly disease that leaves him only forty-eight hours to live. Despite multiple organ failure and a bone marrow infection, Matt slowly recovers from his terrifying incident. Grateful to be alive, he faces a long road to recovery—including dialysis and the need for a new liver. But once again, Matt defies doctors’ expectations when his organs inexplicably regain function. After two months in the hospital, Matt is released with a new perspective on life. Still battling crippling depression brought on by his medical nightmare, he is nonetheless determined to share his story and to pay forward his miracle by becoming the first person to navigate a stand-up paddleboard down the entire twenty-four hundred miles of the Mississippi River. The people and obstacles Matt meets along the way manage to renew his broken spirit with every mile he passes. Heading out on his twenty-four-hundred-mile, four-month journey, Matt discovers new friendships, navigates treacherous obstacles—and learns to heal both his body and soul while exploring all that encompasses the mighty Mississippi.
264 pages, Paperback
First published November 4, 2014
4 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 10, 2016
One of the best books I've read in ages!
I received a free ecopy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, this was a great memoir! In 2010, the author was given just 48 hours to live. He made it through everything and wanted to say thanks and give others hope by setting himself a challenge: he took up paddle boarding and vowed to become the first person to paddle the length of the Mississippi River. The book has a quick and snappy start and takes no time at all before you’re hooked on reading it. This memoir is about triumphing over everything and seeing how precious life is when you've nearly lost it. He was just 36 when he nearly died.
The Mississippi is known as the Mighty-so that's the significance of the book title (I didn’t know that before reading this book.) He intends to travel ‘The Mighty’ and the end of his destination will be New Orleans. On a Stand Up Paddle Board. This will be an approximately 2,400 mile journey. At this time he's only been walking on his own for eight months after his ordeal. He had spent two months fighting for his life, it had been months before he could walk again. He found ill-health so hard to come to terms with. I was intrigued as to what 'the incident' might be-and the 'innocent mistake' which had put him in hospital. With regard to his proposed challenging trip, I was thinking: why is he doing this? He's not fully fit yet! This is just the sort of book to inspire and lift. He had come so close to losing his life. He wants to say thank you and 'pay it forward' as he says.
Achievements before for him include travelling the country on a motorcycle. He also lived on a sailboat in the Pacific Ocean. This is a memoir of inspiration, hope, travel and adventure. I was thinking that I'd like to hear what lead up to his illnesses and fight for life-the medical side. I was hoping this would be covered in the book-it was! This was a really interesting and different read for me. An amazing memoir.
I don't know anything about sailing/surfing/paddle boarding etc. but I LOVED this-it was so varied-we have the medical stuff, the travel, emotions, I learned lots of things-a wonderful read! So wise, brave, inspiring. Would his Old faithful paddleboard survive the trip? You're kept guessing a bit. It really is a very good book. I enjoyed reading about the people who invite him to eat with them, eat out with them, and give him food and supplies to help him on. There were many good Samaritans out there and it was amazing the generosity he was shown.
I thought this memoir sounded interesting when I read the blurb.....but I was blown away by it! It was amazing! He kept a journal, he was writing this book as he went on his trip. He writes with so much tenderness about meeting Suzie and spending time with her. Contrast this with tension, action, adventure and there's so much variety in here. One of the best books I've read in ages! Wonderful!
I received a free ecopy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, this was a great memoir! In 2010, the author was given just 48 hours to live. He made it through everything and wanted to say thanks and give others hope by setting himself a challenge: he took up paddle boarding and vowed to become the first person to paddle the length of the Mississippi River. The book has a quick and snappy start and takes no time at all before you’re hooked on reading it. This memoir is about triumphing over everything and seeing how precious life is when you've nearly lost it. He was just 36 when he nearly died.
The Mississippi is known as the Mighty-so that's the significance of the book title (I didn’t know that before reading this book.) He intends to travel ‘The Mighty’ and the end of his destination will be New Orleans. On a Stand Up Paddle Board. This will be an approximately 2,400 mile journey. At this time he's only been walking on his own for eight months after his ordeal. He had spent two months fighting for his life, it had been months before he could walk again. He found ill-health so hard to come to terms with. I was intrigued as to what 'the incident' might be-and the 'innocent mistake' which had put him in hospital. With regard to his proposed challenging trip, I was thinking: why is he doing this? He's not fully fit yet! This is just the sort of book to inspire and lift. He had come so close to losing his life. He wants to say thank you and 'pay it forward' as he says.
Achievements before for him include travelling the country on a motorcycle. He also lived on a sailboat in the Pacific Ocean. This is a memoir of inspiration, hope, travel and adventure. I was thinking that I'd like to hear what lead up to his illnesses and fight for life-the medical side. I was hoping this would be covered in the book-it was! This was a really interesting and different read for me. An amazing memoir.
I don't know anything about sailing/surfing/paddle boarding etc. but I LOVED this-it was so varied-we have the medical stuff, the travel, emotions, I learned lots of things-a wonderful read! So wise, brave, inspiring. Would his Old faithful paddleboard survive the trip? You're kept guessing a bit. It really is a very good book. I enjoyed reading about the people who invite him to eat with them, eat out with them, and give him food and supplies to help him on. There were many good Samaritans out there and it was amazing the generosity he was shown.
I thought this memoir sounded interesting when I read the blurb.....but I was blown away by it! It was amazing! He kept a journal, he was writing this book as he went on his trip. He writes with so much tenderness about meeting Suzie and spending time with her. Contrast this with tension, action, adventure and there's so much variety in here. One of the best books I've read in ages! Wonderful!
December 18, 2014
Matt Crofton’s memoir is holy-moly honest and raw. I laughed. I cried. I winced. I cringed. I even breathed a few swears. Crofton lived his story and did a great job telling it. I have to give him so much credit for writing the book the way he did. He didn’t hold back. I probably would have. Heck, I wouldn’t have had the guts to come clean on a few of his episodes on the Mississippi river. Episodes . . . and that’s what it felt like, watching a TV show unfold from the comfort of my house while the poor guy was pummeled every which way. By life. By the river. By sickness. And, more dastardly, by himself. The way he handled the river while coming to grips with his life is emotionally charged. And his epic failures are almost all hilarious. Not all. But Crofton has the good grace to laugh at himself, making it so much easier for me to laugh along. And, really, at the end of the day that’s all I ask for, just one good laugh. A little inspiration never hurt either. We could all use a dose of that.
February 16, 2015
Mighty Review 5⃣
I met Matt on his way down the Mississippi and followed his blog for the rest of the way. I really enjoyed his writing style and felt as if I almost "knew" him. I love reading about places and I know and have been to. To be honest, I couldn't wait to some else's view on my little slice of the Mississippi.
Little did I know that what pulled me to buy the book, while touching, funny and wonderful, was not why I love/loved the book. His struggles, humor, sadness and happiness I shared. It shook me vibrated something loose inside.
If you live on or around the Mississippi River, you will enjoy the book. If you are a human who struggles sometimes, you will love it.
I met Matt on his way down the Mississippi and followed his blog for the rest of the way. I really enjoyed his writing style and felt as if I almost "knew" him. I love reading about places and I know and have been to. To be honest, I couldn't wait to some else's view on my little slice of the Mississippi.
Little did I know that what pulled me to buy the book, while touching, funny and wonderful, was not why I love/loved the book. His struggles, humor, sadness and happiness I shared. It shook me vibrated something loose inside.
If you live on or around the Mississippi River, you will enjoy the book. If you are a human who struggles sometimes, you will love it.
January 11, 2015
Great read. Adventure, nature, SUP, and love on the Mississippi.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews