Strength Through Adversity: A Story of Overcoming a Life-Changing Injury and Triumphing Over Adversity

Darren Edwards was a climber, mountaineer and Army Reservist who suffered a life-changing injury in a near-fatal climbing accident at just 26 years old. The devastating injury left him instantly paralysed from the chest down, and with his ambitions to climb Mount Everest and serve in the Special Forces Reserve in tatters. How would he cope? How could he find strength in the darkest moment of his life? With determination, grit and resilience, Darren discovered new dreams and overcame the odds to become a record-breaking Disabled Adventurer and Expedition Leader. Amongst other exploits, Strength Through Adversity details the gruelling expedition which saw Darren lead a team of five injured/wounded veterans across 1,400 kilometres of Britain’s most dangerous coastal waters in their attempt to kayak from Land’s End to John O’ Groats. This book also explores Darren’s role in pioneering the immersive sport of freediving in the UK and the heart-warming story of how he learned to walk once more thanks to the marvels of modern exoskeleton technology and the kindness of a stranger. This unique story of overcoming adversity is brought to life by Darren’s humour, down-to-earth honesty, and vulnerability. At its core, Strength Through Adversity is a book guaranteed to encourage change and inspire its readers, and to show them that no matter the adversity faced in life, there is always time and opportunity for us to be accountable for our actions and to define the outcome on our own terms.