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Hope Unseen: The Story of the U.S. Army's First Blind Active-Duty Officer
Hope Unseen challenges readers to question their doubts, not their beliefs, and depend upon God no matter what—the inspiring true story of “blind” faith.
A nervous glance from a man in a parked car. Muted instincts from a soldier on patrol. Violent destruction followed by total darkness. Two weeks later, Scotty Smiley woke up in Walter Reed Army Medical Center, helpless . . . and blind.
Blindness became Scotty’s journey of supreme testing. As he lay helpless in the hospital, Captain Smiley resented the theft of his dreams—becoming a CEO, a Delta Force operator, or a four-star general.
With his wife Tiffany’s love and the support of his family and friends, Scotty was transformed—the injury only intensifying his indomitable spirit. Since the moment he jumped out of a hospital bed and forced his way through nurses and cords to take a simple shower, Captain Scotty Smiley has climbed Mount Rainier, won an ESPY as Best Outdoor Athlete, surfed, skydived, become a father, earned an MBA from Duke, taught leadership at West Point, commanded an army company, and won the MacArthur Leadership Award.
Scotty and Tiffany Smiley have lived out a faith so real that it will inspire you to question your own doubts, push you to serve something bigger than yourself, and encourage you to cling to a Hope Unseen.
A nervous glance from a man in a parked car. Muted instincts from a soldier on patrol. Violent destruction followed by total darkness. Two weeks later, Scotty Smiley woke up in Walter Reed Army Medical Center, helpless . . . and blind.
Blindness became Scotty’s journey of supreme testing. As he lay helpless in the hospital, Captain Smiley resented the theft of his dreams—becoming a CEO, a Delta Force operator, or a four-star general.
With his wife Tiffany’s love and the support of his family and friends, Scotty was transformed—the injury only intensifying his indomitable spirit. Since the moment he jumped out of a hospital bed and forced his way through nurses and cords to take a simple shower, Captain Scotty Smiley has climbed Mount Rainier, won an ESPY as Best Outdoor Athlete, surfed, skydived, become a father, earned an MBA from Duke, taught leadership at West Point, commanded an army company, and won the MacArthur Leadership Award.
Scotty and Tiffany Smiley have lived out a faith so real that it will inspire you to question your own doubts, push you to serve something bigger than yourself, and encourage you to cling to a Hope Unseen.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 14, 2010
24 people are currently reading
782 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
December 15, 2013
This cannot fail to be an inspiration to all who read it. Captain Smiley was first introduced to me at our church where he was invited to speak for the Memorial Day weekend service. His book was there for sale also and I purchased it and had him sign it after the service. Great experiences of suffering can either deepen one's faith or cancel it out, depending on what choices we make. Scotty Smiley and his wife, Tiffany, are two people who have allowed God to deepen their faith through suffering. Scotty Smiley tells the very frank and honest account of his experience as a West Point graduate leading a platoon of soldiers in Iraq ... Following the explosion of a roadside car bomb, fragments of metal flew into his eyes and basically severed the optical nerve rendering him completely blind. A young man with a deep love for and dedication to the ARMY and a soldier's way of life, his hopes for any kind of future in the military were dashed shortly after he got to Iraq. He tells very honestly about his crisis of faith following the realization that he would never see again. His wife and family prayed and supported him and encouraged him through days of despair. Eventually he made a decision to commit his future to a God who he ultimately trusted to work all things out for his good. Through the work of other military commanders, he was able to remain in the Army and now teaches leadership classes at the West Point Military Academy. He is a remarkable man with a remarkable story. It was an honor to meet him and his wife.
March 17, 2011
Yes, this man's story can definitely be inspiring. Since being blinded in Iraq, Scotty Smiley has indeed accomplished a lot. However, I am not much of a God & Country guy. While Smiley can easily reconcile his belief in God with his killing folks as a soldier, I cannot. So, all his "Christian values" fell on deaf ears in my case.
December 12, 2010
My hat's off to Smilely for his service and for conquering graduate level statistics without the add of scratch paper, chalk board or calculator. Wow. Otherwise, this book is strictly for God's sheep, of which I am not. This and the lack luster writing brought on the low rating.
April 7, 2013
I am not usually a big fan of books about people who lived through a traumatic event, and I’ll tell you why. Some books tell readers everything about a person’s life, when really, we just want to know about the traumatic event and recovery, with enough backstory to make it meaningful. But please, don’t tell me about your sixth grade dance. Other books about traumatic events either don’t feel authentic, as in, the author doesn’t really let us see the ugly side of their journey because he/she doesn’t want to seem unspiritual. Still other books are interesting enough but fail to inspire because it’s difficult to translate the lessons into the reader’s life.
None of the above were true of Unseen Hope. I truly loved this book. It’s well-written, to the point, and painfully, satisfyingly honest. What happens when a man of God loses his sight? Well, in Capt. Smiley’s case, he didn’t kumbayah-away the pain. He didn’t want to pray. He didn’t even want others to pray for him. This is tough stuff.
But his journey didn’t end there. He overcame so much, it was just jaw-dropping mind-boggling to read about. His wife Tiffany played an incredible role in her husband’s life. They had been married sixteen months before his injury, only four months of which were spent together.
In his book, Capt. Smiley says:
“’The me who could see was used to climbing mountains and thanking God for coming along. The me who could not see was totally dependent. “You need to trust Me, Scotty,” I sensed God telling me “And you need to depend on others.” I can do all things. There is nothing in the Bible that qualifies that statement, nothing that says I need eyes. It says only that I need Christ. It was a truth that my blindness was going to help me see. My confidence was being moved away from self—from my own ability to see and control—to a new hope, a hope unseen.’” (p. 148)
His story is truly inspirational. If you get a chance, read it. You’ll be so glad you did.
None of the above were true of Unseen Hope. I truly loved this book. It’s well-written, to the point, and painfully, satisfyingly honest. What happens when a man of God loses his sight? Well, in Capt. Smiley’s case, he didn’t kumbayah-away the pain. He didn’t want to pray. He didn’t even want others to pray for him. This is tough stuff.
But his journey didn’t end there. He overcame so much, it was just jaw-dropping mind-boggling to read about. His wife Tiffany played an incredible role in her husband’s life. They had been married sixteen months before his injury, only four months of which were spent together.
In his book, Capt. Smiley says:
“’The me who could see was used to climbing mountains and thanking God for coming along. The me who could not see was totally dependent. “You need to trust Me, Scotty,” I sensed God telling me “And you need to depend on others.” I can do all things. There is nothing in the Bible that qualifies that statement, nothing that says I need eyes. It says only that I need Christ. It was a truth that my blindness was going to help me see. My confidence was being moved away from self—from my own ability to see and control—to a new hope, a hope unseen.’” (p. 148)
His story is truly inspirational. If you get a chance, read it. You’ll be so glad you did.
April 17, 2011
You've graduated from The Military Academy at West Point and you've completed your Ranger Training, a required course for all First Lt.s. coming out of West Point, before you are allowed to lead soldiers in the field.
You're also a newly wed and looking forward to living a full life with your bride. Your orders come in and you are heading to Iraq. Both your wife and you have been church going, praying and Bible reading Christians all of your lives. So, everything is going your way and a year long tour in Iraq is only going to be a small bump in your life's road.
This was Scotty Smiley's life. While in Iraq he was leading a patrol searching out insurgents and evil doers, when a suicide bomber detonated an IED (Improvised Explosive Device), just meters away. This device sent shrapnel into Smiley's head, body and eyes, rendering him unconscious and blind.
"Hope Unseen", is the true story of Captain Scotty Smiley, as told by him. This story is one of courage, spirit, determination and most of all Faith. Neither Scotty nor his wife, Tiffany, ever lose faith nor turn away from God on their perilous journey of rebuilding their lives and rehabilitation. It is the story of conquering obstacles both seen and unseen.
Follow Scotty Smiley as he describes this unforgettable story. I commend Captain Smiley for his courage and dedication. This story should be in everyone's To Be Read List, and will undoubtedly become a Best Seller.
You're also a newly wed and looking forward to living a full life with your bride. Your orders come in and you are heading to Iraq. Both your wife and you have been church going, praying and Bible reading Christians all of your lives. So, everything is going your way and a year long tour in Iraq is only going to be a small bump in your life's road.
This was Scotty Smiley's life. While in Iraq he was leading a patrol searching out insurgents and evil doers, when a suicide bomber detonated an IED (Improvised Explosive Device), just meters away. This device sent shrapnel into Smiley's head, body and eyes, rendering him unconscious and blind.
"Hope Unseen", is the true story of Captain Scotty Smiley, as told by him. This story is one of courage, spirit, determination and most of all Faith. Neither Scotty nor his wife, Tiffany, ever lose faith nor turn away from God on their perilous journey of rebuilding their lives and rehabilitation. It is the story of conquering obstacles both seen and unseen.
Follow Scotty Smiley as he describes this unforgettable story. I commend Captain Smiley for his courage and dedication. This story should be in everyone's To Be Read List, and will undoubtedly become a Best Seller.
November 16, 2010
Read this for book club - not really my cup of tea as I'm not really a fan of heavily inspirational stories. The best part, by far, was the description of the scene where he was injured. That chapter was quite compelling, and I wish the writing in the rest of the book had been able to stand up to that.
May 25, 2021
Deserves more than the 3 i gave. Great story of a true american hero. Inspirational and does give you sense of hope after reading the book. My 3 star rating was due to way the book laid out his story. Was easy to put down and take a break from and pick up later.
November 27, 2019
Very inspirational!
March 31, 2017
Scotty Smiley’s early life was a dream: grew up in a loving, Christian family; had a pretty childhood sweetheart; played sports, including winning a state championship in football; got into West Point. But everything turned one day when Scotty was on patrol in Iraq. A suicide bomber blew up in front of him, nearly killing Scotty and permanently destroying both of his eyes. This memoir recounts Scotty’s early life, his memories from that fateful day and the long recovery afterwards, and more importantly his wrestling with God as he tried to reconcile the actions of a God that would allow such a tragedy to occur with a faith that believed that God was loving and had a plan for his life. Smiley is honest about his faith struggles and the lessons he learns, and I found it refreshing to hear how tough it was for him for awhile. There are personal anecdotes in the book that I felt were irrelevant inclusions – the mark of a memoirist that is trying to include every single memory rather than focus the narrative – but overall, it was an engaging read. Smiley also doesn’t go too deep into theology or too heavy into explaining the gospel, so that either makes this seeker-sensitive and reader-friendly, or shallow; I’ll let the reader decide. Recommended.
May 3, 2020
Scotty Smiley is a true American hero - good morals and strong values. I just finished reading a book on Lance Armstrong who was adored and idolized as a hero, but who was actually a tacky, cheating, rotten SOB. It was nice to read about someone who loved his family, friends and the men he served with. Not for greed and celebrity, but because that was the kind of man he is. A true success story.
I knocked off a star because there was just a little too much God, Jesus etc. I admire his faith - that’s what got him through his ordeal, but it was a bit over the top for me.
I knocked off a star because there was just a little too much God, Jesus etc. I admire his faith - that’s what got him through his ordeal, but it was a bit over the top for me.
September 12, 2022
Review to come
May 13, 2025
Amazing story that showed his frustrations but also his hope in Christ. And he is super funny! I laughed out loud many times.
January 25, 2020
If YOU AREN’T A FAN OF books in which the author bears fervent testimony of his or her faith, you may want to pass this one by. I’m glad I didn’t, and the fervent expression of faith on the part of the author didn’t bother me. Indeed, it was an integral part of the book.
This is the story of a guy who grew up in a large, loving, close family in Washington state. The girl who would be his mainstay, his unflagging hero in all things, dated him in high school. He got into West Point, and the two married. Their time together was all too brief, and Smiley went to Iraq. It is in Iraq that Smiley lost his vision as a result of a homicide bomb. The explosion embedded metal in his head and left him blind in both eyes. This is the story of his rehabilitation, and it’s more than that. It’s the testimony of a young man whose new blindness tested his faith to its absolute limits. Everything he thought he knew became liquified. The anchors he had thought he could count on seemed suddenly nonexistent. The one unwavering guidelight on which he could count was his wife, Tiffany, whose faith may have trembled a bit but never collapsed. This is her story as well—the story of a woman who learned to accept life with a blind husband.
I read of Smiley’s adjustment to blindness with some mixed feelings. Some of his accomplishments are normal for many of us. We are water skiers, after all; and while I’ve never tried surfing, I did a fair amount of mountain climbing as a kid, admittedly not Mount Rainier, but climbing nonetheless.
His description of the blinded veteran center in California was rather negative but probably accurate. Months before he got there, he commanded men and guided them into life-and-death situations. At that center, he carved meaningless tings and learned to do projects that were neither challenging nor particularly valuable.
Ironically enough, it was Tiffany who’s gut hunches prevented her from signing papers the army desperately wanted her to sign. Her decision not to sign ensured that Smiley could retain a position in the army—a position he filled after completing an MBA from Duke.
There is much here to which any of us can relate. He struggled with JAWS; who among us on this list has not if we use it. He and a pet dog he ad recently acquired became lost late at night. I found myself wondering whether I would hand newly blinded people a copy of this book in the hope that it would help them. I just don’t have sufficient experience working with those dealing with new vision loss to make a good decision. I guess I’d have to consider whether the person to whom I gave the book would reject Smiley’s story because he is so unafraid of expressing his faith. This is a positive uplifting book, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to red it at first. But I have no regrets, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
This is the story of a guy who grew up in a large, loving, close family in Washington state. The girl who would be his mainstay, his unflagging hero in all things, dated him in high school. He got into West Point, and the two married. Their time together was all too brief, and Smiley went to Iraq. It is in Iraq that Smiley lost his vision as a result of a homicide bomb. The explosion embedded metal in his head and left him blind in both eyes. This is the story of his rehabilitation, and it’s more than that. It’s the testimony of a young man whose new blindness tested his faith to its absolute limits. Everything he thought he knew became liquified. The anchors he had thought he could count on seemed suddenly nonexistent. The one unwavering guidelight on which he could count was his wife, Tiffany, whose faith may have trembled a bit but never collapsed. This is her story as well—the story of a woman who learned to accept life with a blind husband.
I read of Smiley’s adjustment to blindness with some mixed feelings. Some of his accomplishments are normal for many of us. We are water skiers, after all; and while I’ve never tried surfing, I did a fair amount of mountain climbing as a kid, admittedly not Mount Rainier, but climbing nonetheless.
His description of the blinded veteran center in California was rather negative but probably accurate. Months before he got there, he commanded men and guided them into life-and-death situations. At that center, he carved meaningless tings and learned to do projects that were neither challenging nor particularly valuable.
Ironically enough, it was Tiffany who’s gut hunches prevented her from signing papers the army desperately wanted her to sign. Her decision not to sign ensured that Smiley could retain a position in the army—a position he filled after completing an MBA from Duke.
There is much here to which any of us can relate. He struggled with JAWS; who among us on this list has not if we use it. He and a pet dog he ad recently acquired became lost late at night. I found myself wondering whether I would hand newly blinded people a copy of this book in the hope that it would help them. I just don’t have sufficient experience working with those dealing with new vision loss to make a good decision. I guess I’d have to consider whether the person to whom I gave the book would reject Smiley’s story because he is so unafraid of expressing his faith. This is a positive uplifting book, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to red it at first. But I have no regrets, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
June 7, 2019
I started reading this book for research for a story that I'm working on, and it was so interesting! I loved the story, and it was not only informative, but it was also touching, heartwarming, and inspiring. Captain Smiley does a great job being honest about his struggles and showing that he's not perfect, and I felt like I really knew him by the end of the book. I think my only complaint would be that there's a lot of background given at the beginning before he goes blind (about the first third of the book is background). Other than that, it was definitely an excellent read!
September 20, 2017
It's a book about overcoming obstacles in life. I thought it was a good inspirational read written by a man who was blinded in combat. He struggled but had God, family, and friends to help him along the way. Good book.
October 29, 2017
If I were rating this book solely on the writing, I'd give it fewer stars. The writing itself wasn't brilliant but the life and story of Scotty Smiley is. I found this book to be inspiring and faith promoting.
February 14, 2018
Inspiring
One of the most inspiring and uplifting stories I have had the pleasure of reading! Thank you and God bless you and your family! I saw you on Fox news and couldn't wait to read your story! Thank you and God Bless You!
One of the most inspiring and uplifting stories I have had the pleasure of reading! Thank you and God bless you and your family! I saw you on Fox news and couldn't wait to read your story! Thank you and God Bless You!
April 30, 2024
Number of pages: 237
Genre: Non-fiction Biography
Series: N/A
Age recommendation: High school/adult
Summary: While fighting in Iraq, Scotty Smiley was blinded. Unwilling to let that stop him, he became the first active-duty blind officer, teaching leadership at West Point.
My thoughts: The story is good: it’s written in an interesting way, it’s honest, and it’s real. I find it noteworthy how much of the book is descriptions of how things look, of people, of places, and other things. I wonder if it’s me that’s noticing it more because I know the author is blind and is taking the word of other people for some of these descriptions, or if he is hyper focused on descriptions since he can’t see. Maybe it’s a little bit of both. In describing some of his classes from after he lost his sight, he mentions teachers pointing at things he couldn’t see. I experienced this a little with online learning and lagging video, but can’t imagine living my entire life like that. Hope Unseen really made me realize how much people, and me in particular, depend on our eyes for practically everything.
One thing that I personally didn’t really enjoy is how much he talks about loving his wife. Don’t get me wrong; I think it’s great that he thinks the world of her, but his descriptions were probably better left for him and his wife in some spots rather than being written for the whole world to read. There was nothing really intimate, but I didn’t really appreciate reading about how cute his wife’s freckles were, or when he mentioned for the hundred millionth time that he was missing his wife.
I don’t remember a whole lot of Christian content, but the message of God always being there to help us through everything was prominent. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13) was quoted often. I especially liked how Scotty noticed that all these verses about God helping us and using us have no qualifications. It doesn’t matter whether we can see or not, whether we have any other disabilities, Gods ability to use us and help us is not limited.
My personal rating: 3.5/5 stars
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
Genre: Non-fiction Biography
Series: N/A
Age recommendation: High school/adult
Summary: While fighting in Iraq, Scotty Smiley was blinded. Unwilling to let that stop him, he became the first active-duty blind officer, teaching leadership at West Point.
My thoughts: The story is good: it’s written in an interesting way, it’s honest, and it’s real. I find it noteworthy how much of the book is descriptions of how things look, of people, of places, and other things. I wonder if it’s me that’s noticing it more because I know the author is blind and is taking the word of other people for some of these descriptions, or if he is hyper focused on descriptions since he can’t see. Maybe it’s a little bit of both. In describing some of his classes from after he lost his sight, he mentions teachers pointing at things he couldn’t see. I experienced this a little with online learning and lagging video, but can’t imagine living my entire life like that. Hope Unseen really made me realize how much people, and me in particular, depend on our eyes for practically everything.
One thing that I personally didn’t really enjoy is how much he talks about loving his wife. Don’t get me wrong; I think it’s great that he thinks the world of her, but his descriptions were probably better left for him and his wife in some spots rather than being written for the whole world to read. There was nothing really intimate, but I didn’t really appreciate reading about how cute his wife’s freckles were, or when he mentioned for the hundred millionth time that he was missing his wife.
I don’t remember a whole lot of Christian content, but the message of God always being there to help us through everything was prominent. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13) was quoted often. I especially liked how Scotty noticed that all these verses about God helping us and using us have no qualifications. It doesn’t matter whether we can see or not, whether we have any other disabilities, Gods ability to use us and help us is not limited.
My personal rating: 3.5/5 stars
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
April 24, 2022
3.5 Stars...for writing only.
I first heard about Scott Smiley a few weeks ago. He was a guest speaker at an event hosted by a state senate candidate I follow on Facebook. I had no idea who he was and what made him so inspiring. As I learned more about him and his story, I was reminded how backwards this world is, in that so many famous people have done very little for others, basking in the light of their own glory, while those who truly deserve our attention are often relegated to smaller venues.
One of seven children, a West Point graduate who married his high school sweetheart, Tiffany, Scotty Smiley’s life dramatically changed on April 6, 2005. While leading a 40-man platoon in Iraq charged with finding car bombs stationed throughout a residential area, Smiley confronted a suicide bomber at the moment of detonation. At that instant his world went black. He was blinded and partially paralyzed.
This book tells of Captain Smiley’s journey from that day to recovery, rehabilitation, and finding a new purpose in life. Make no mistake, this man had his gloomy days–lots of them–despite being blessed with an incredible support system of family and friends. Going from an independent, highly motivated Army officer to a man who could get lost walking in a parking lot was a huge blow. It challenged his sense of self and his lifelong faith down to their very cores.
Certainly, his story is one like many veterans who return home with physical and emotional scars that can last a lifetime. Living in a country that hasn’t seen war on its own soil for such a long time can make us feel distanced from the sacrifices made on a daily basis by people who dedicate their lives to preserving freedom for ourselves and others. No doubt, his story, faith, and determination are worthy of 5 Goodreads stars. As a piece of writing I do wish it was more linear with less detours. There were several, although it may be the style of his coauthor. But overall, Scotty Smiley does make you want to try harder and be better, remembering that through God, all things are possible.
I first heard about Scott Smiley a few weeks ago. He was a guest speaker at an event hosted by a state senate candidate I follow on Facebook. I had no idea who he was and what made him so inspiring. As I learned more about him and his story, I was reminded how backwards this world is, in that so many famous people have done very little for others, basking in the light of their own glory, while those who truly deserve our attention are often relegated to smaller venues.
One of seven children, a West Point graduate who married his high school sweetheart, Tiffany, Scotty Smiley’s life dramatically changed on April 6, 2005. While leading a 40-man platoon in Iraq charged with finding car bombs stationed throughout a residential area, Smiley confronted a suicide bomber at the moment of detonation. At that instant his world went black. He was blinded and partially paralyzed.
This book tells of Captain Smiley’s journey from that day to recovery, rehabilitation, and finding a new purpose in life. Make no mistake, this man had his gloomy days–lots of them–despite being blessed with an incredible support system of family and friends. Going from an independent, highly motivated Army officer to a man who could get lost walking in a parking lot was a huge blow. It challenged his sense of self and his lifelong faith down to their very cores.
Certainly, his story is one like many veterans who return home with physical and emotional scars that can last a lifetime. Living in a country that hasn’t seen war on its own soil for such a long time can make us feel distanced from the sacrifices made on a daily basis by people who dedicate their lives to preserving freedom for ourselves and others. No doubt, his story, faith, and determination are worthy of 5 Goodreads stars. As a piece of writing I do wish it was more linear with less detours. There were several, although it may be the style of his coauthor. But overall, Scotty Smiley does make you want to try harder and be better, remembering that through God, all things are possible.
March 11, 2017
I know what it is like for one person to go blind gradually over many years as I watched from brother go from a sighted person to being blind. In Smiley's case, he was blinded suddenly by a bomb while serving in the army when the enemy blew himself up close to him. Smiley went from knowing one way of life to suddenly having to learn a new way and it wasn't easy. I can't imagine anyone saying, oh, well, this is something different. He went through the normal grieving process of losing his sight, losing the sense of who he was and having to alter the plan of his life. Luckily, Smiley had a loving wife, family, and though he lost it temporarily, a faith in God that things would be o.k., and they are.
Smiley is a positive person and luckily that didn't change with his brain injury. His wife refused to sign him out of the army and that is how he became the first blind person on active duty. Usually the army just releases you on retirement but Smiley showed that the blind are still useful in our society and even in the army.
Smiley went back to school, Duke Business School, and became a teacher of Leadership to cadets. He has children and loves his life. He is an inspiration to not give up, but be the best you can every minute and with God, all things are possible, his motto.
Smiley is a positive person and luckily that didn't change with his brain injury. His wife refused to sign him out of the army and that is how he became the first blind person on active duty. Usually the army just releases you on retirement but Smiley showed that the blind are still useful in our society and even in the army.
Smiley went back to school, Duke Business School, and became a teacher of Leadership to cadets. He has children and loves his life. He is an inspiration to not give up, but be the best you can every minute and with God, all things are possible, his motto.
November 3, 2025
It's no wonder so many service men and women lose hope and feel such incredible devastation after sustaining a significant battle injury. If they are fortunate enough to survive and recover, like Scotty Smiley, they may then be pressured into medical retirement, forcing them to walk away from the structured military life they know and love. These wounded soldiers are incredibly ambitious, hard-working individuals who are used to functioning on a team or leading a team of others. This book helped me understand the tremendous depth of struggle a soldier may be left to grapple with post-recovery. It takes great effort to adapt to a new reality and to try to make sense of their life without the support of their comrades surrounding them. Scotty Smiley's story is one of great ambition, selfless service, and enduring relationships that result in him fighting for and finding a new purpose in life. I am so grateful to read his story.
May 21, 2018
I’ll be honest, I didn’t compete this memoir. I discovered this book while reading an article about incredible military spouses in Business Insider. Scott’s story may be an amazing one, I however never really felt I learned about this journey. I respect a person’s faith in God and the power faith has for many people, I found it overshadowed Scott’s story. Had this book been entitled Scott’s story and journey of faith while in the military, a more honest title. I never felt I understood his struggle and triumphs of becoming an officer who was blinded while in active duty.
January 20, 2025
I’ve known about Scott’s story for years because my brother in law went to West Point with Scott. I don’t know why I never read the book. What a testimony of strength and patience. Tiffany is also a hero for me, never giving up or walking away like many spouses could, saying “it is too hard.” I give the credit to God for Scott’s fortitude and health, but his friends, family, and cadre/fellow leaders really surrounded him from day 1 and on into his time at Duke, his Ironman, his teaching, his fighting against medical retirement.
I wish every student I work with would read this book.
I wish every student I work with would read this book.
April 8, 2024
This book is an amazing true, true story of a true American hero. Scott Smiley is honest about how losing his sight tested his faith. He came out on the other side of his injury with his faith increased.
Wonderful book and may it be a constant reminder to me when I encounter "tough" situations that my troubles ain't nothin' compared to Smiley's so I need to stop my whining (bad grammar for emphasis).
Oh, and by the way, the preface itself is quite moving.
Wonderful book and may it be a constant reminder to me when I encounter "tough" situations that my troubles ain't nothin' compared to Smiley's so I need to stop my whining (bad grammar for emphasis).
Oh, and by the way, the preface itself is quite moving.
February 5, 2024
Good story, not told linearly, but well told. Many of the achievements that Captain Smiley did would be amazing for anyone. So even more impressive that he has done them without sight. Story does tell a story that could have only happened to an officer, maybe to only a graduate of West Point. Enlisted would very likely be retired even if they wanted to stay in active.
September 1, 2024
Inspiring story- and I enjoyed his inclusion of his faith and how that helped him through this major life change. But. The writing and overall structure/content was only okay. There were a lot of questions I had about his transition after the injury that weren’t answered. Wish there was a little more of a “so what” at the end. He came off as a little cocky in some parts.
October 21, 2024
I did not have great hopes for this book going in, because I thought it might be a bit cheesy. I must admit it might be because of where I am in my life right now, but this story left me in awe. The strength that Scotty and his wife grasped onto with their foundation of faith was beyond inspiring. I had never really considered that a blind person could achieve all of these things, and after reading this book, I truly felt ignorant. It was eye opening.
April 9, 2018
Inspiring true story which definitely helped me walk in the shoes of a serviceman dealing with war and then the aftermath of injuries. The writing quality is not superb, but it’s hard to criticize a true story/memoir.
September 13, 2020
Because I spend my professional life working as a vocational rehabilitation counselor with a state agency for the blind, I rarely choose to read books about the subject during my leisure time.
This one attracted me for two reasons. When my friend, Nolan, recommends something, it immediately grabs my attention; I may not read it, but I give it more consideration than I otherwise might. Also, I sometimes recommend books to clients who are experiencing sudden vision loss; in order to do that, I really do need to read some of them now and then.
This is not primarily a book about blindness; Smiley wrote it in order to share his Christian beliefs with the world and to show how his faith in god allowed him to accomplish things after his sight loss that many folks, blind or sighted, wouldn't even dream of trying.
I enjoyed reading about Smiley's early years. In this day and age when the world seems filled with angst and division, it was heartwarming to read about a childhood which in some ways mirrored my own. It's an important part of the story because it shows where his love for the military began and why he holds the values he does.
I was completely captivated by the story of his romance with the high school classmate who later became his wife; that is an integral and important part of his story and he tells it with tremendous love and humor.
He does such a good job recounting the events immediately before and after he became blind that I found myself thinking that every professional entering my field really needs to read those chapters. He then tells a bit about his rehabilitation and how he developed the skills he would need in order to live successfully as a blind man.
Smiley has accomplished a great deal. As the subtitle indicates, he advocated to remain in the army as an active duty officer following sight loss. Because his wife and some army officials recognized his talents and abilities, and because he was willing to do what it took to make that happen, he has been able to do this. He has also had many other exciting and unusual adventures which make for great reading.
Fortunately, he doesn't portray himself as a blind superstar. He rejoices in his successes, yes, but he also talks openly about the many setbacks he experienced along the way. He doesn't shy away from admitting that there was a time when those setbacks caused him to reconsider his faith in God. Unlike some other blind folks, he does not take the entire credit for his successes. over and over again, we read about how grateful he is to his wife, his family, his friends and many others who are partially responsible for his successes. and, of course, he gives thanks to the God in whom he so firmly believes.
There are a few times where the book gets sort of bogged down by his "faith message." He is at his strongest when he demonstrates that faith by showing how it impacts his day to day existence. Thankfully, he resists the temptation to preach, but there were times when I felt like his statements about God and faith were a tad forced. I'm in no way saying that he isn't sincere, just that there were some mentions of it that sort of took away from the overall message rather than supporting it.
There is one aspect of this book that bothered me enough that I changed my four star rating to a three star one. I hope I'm able to explain this in a way that won't lead to misinterpretation.
I realize that everyone's experience of blindness is unique and that
viewpoints I hold may not be shared by my blind brothers and sisters. And that's as it should be. But it's crucial that the things we say about blindness are accurate, especially given the myths and stereotypes that surround it. While recounting his experiences as an MBA student, smiley
writes: "Blindness had altered more than just my ability to see. I often lost track of time, minutes and hours, even days and weeks. I could remember events, but something about the lack of sight made it difficult for me to
put those events in chronological order." [Chapter 22, Alma Mater.] I
don't doubt that this was the author's experience, but I have no reason to think that it has anything to do with his blindness even though he believes that it does. If there is any research to support this, I'm not aware of it.
I was also troubled by his constantly referring to his white cane as a "stick". I know; that seems like a minor complaint and I might be overreacting. But I can't tell you how many newly blind people come to my office and tell me that they have been walking around their neighborhoods holding a stick of some sort in front of them. they don't understand that the white cane must be of a certain length and that there are specific skills that must be learned in order to safely and confidently move from place to place. Smiley and his editors needed to be much more careful to ensure that statements about blindness that are not subjective are supported by the facts.
With that said, this is a well written autobiography that demonstrates how strong faith in God combined with perseverance and support from friends and family can support a fulfilling and adventurous life.
This one attracted me for two reasons. When my friend, Nolan, recommends something, it immediately grabs my attention; I may not read it, but I give it more consideration than I otherwise might. Also, I sometimes recommend books to clients who are experiencing sudden vision loss; in order to do that, I really do need to read some of them now and then.
This is not primarily a book about blindness; Smiley wrote it in order to share his Christian beliefs with the world and to show how his faith in god allowed him to accomplish things after his sight loss that many folks, blind or sighted, wouldn't even dream of trying.
I enjoyed reading about Smiley's early years. In this day and age when the world seems filled with angst and division, it was heartwarming to read about a childhood which in some ways mirrored my own. It's an important part of the story because it shows where his love for the military began and why he holds the values he does.
I was completely captivated by the story of his romance with the high school classmate who later became his wife; that is an integral and important part of his story and he tells it with tremendous love and humor.
He does such a good job recounting the events immediately before and after he became blind that I found myself thinking that every professional entering my field really needs to read those chapters. He then tells a bit about his rehabilitation and how he developed the skills he would need in order to live successfully as a blind man.
Smiley has accomplished a great deal. As the subtitle indicates, he advocated to remain in the army as an active duty officer following sight loss. Because his wife and some army officials recognized his talents and abilities, and because he was willing to do what it took to make that happen, he has been able to do this. He has also had many other exciting and unusual adventures which make for great reading.
Fortunately, he doesn't portray himself as a blind superstar. He rejoices in his successes, yes, but he also talks openly about the many setbacks he experienced along the way. He doesn't shy away from admitting that there was a time when those setbacks caused him to reconsider his faith in God. Unlike some other blind folks, he does not take the entire credit for his successes. over and over again, we read about how grateful he is to his wife, his family, his friends and many others who are partially responsible for his successes. and, of course, he gives thanks to the God in whom he so firmly believes.
There are a few times where the book gets sort of bogged down by his "faith message." He is at his strongest when he demonstrates that faith by showing how it impacts his day to day existence. Thankfully, he resists the temptation to preach, but there were times when I felt like his statements about God and faith were a tad forced. I'm in no way saying that he isn't sincere, just that there were some mentions of it that sort of took away from the overall message rather than supporting it.
There is one aspect of this book that bothered me enough that I changed my four star rating to a three star one. I hope I'm able to explain this in a way that won't lead to misinterpretation.
I realize that everyone's experience of blindness is unique and that
viewpoints I hold may not be shared by my blind brothers and sisters. And that's as it should be. But it's crucial that the things we say about blindness are accurate, especially given the myths and stereotypes that surround it. While recounting his experiences as an MBA student, smiley
writes: "Blindness had altered more than just my ability to see. I often lost track of time, minutes and hours, even days and weeks. I could remember events, but something about the lack of sight made it difficult for me to
put those events in chronological order." [Chapter 22, Alma Mater.] I
don't doubt that this was the author's experience, but I have no reason to think that it has anything to do with his blindness even though he believes that it does. If there is any research to support this, I'm not aware of it.
I was also troubled by his constantly referring to his white cane as a "stick". I know; that seems like a minor complaint and I might be overreacting. But I can't tell you how many newly blind people come to my office and tell me that they have been walking around their neighborhoods holding a stick of some sort in front of them. they don't understand that the white cane must be of a certain length and that there are specific skills that must be learned in order to safely and confidently move from place to place. Smiley and his editors needed to be much more careful to ensure that statements about blindness that are not subjective are supported by the facts.
With that said, this is a well written autobiography that demonstrates how strong faith in God combined with perseverance and support from friends and family can support a fulfilling and adventurous life.
December 23, 2017
This is a "feel good" read. The story about him being a soldier is guite short. It could probably be told in a couple of chapters. Most of the story is about his belief in God and is worth the read.
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