From carefree to deep despair to new life.

I thought country club living at home in Long Island during college, with no job or accountability, was the perfect life. Then came a trip to Africa during the Congo Crisis in a small search and rescue plane with my pilot uncle. I faced imminent death four times, and a girl I arranged to go on the other plane died. That started a nine-year downhill spiral.

Back in the United States, it was one illness and surgery after another and two more knocks on death's door. Things got so bad, I had a brick wall built in front of my New York City brownstone bedroom window, without permission. My psychological report said: "Stephen is in urgent need of help. He could self-destruct at any moment." My brother Michael had left home totally stressed out. When he returned a completely different person, I was torn between jealousy and curiosity. I accepted an invite to visit him in Los Angeles. There the most shocking awakening happened. Instantly, I felt amazing and knew: All is well. And my illnesses were gone!

Now what? When I begrudgingly accepted a restaurant server job, I never expected it would lead to a successful career in hospitality and sales. I had opportunities to connect with top-of-the-world people. Life expanded in all areas, as I learned to expect the unexpected, along with swallowing my pride. A job associate once asked me, "How come things happen to you that don't happen to us?" The answers are what this book is all about.

All that and a happy marriage. Okay, Becky proposed, so who's perfect? During our 35th anniversary vow renewal, I surprised her by proposing on one knee with a diamond ring, as our friends and family cheered. She said yes!

There are jewels in this book that can transform your life!