One More Step

Bonner Paddock grew up just wanting to be ordinary. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age eleven, he guarded the truth about his health, building a normal life and keeping his secret from everyone-most of all himself-for the next eighteen years. But the sudden death of a friend's young son due to cerebral palsy forced Bonner to reevaluate who he was and spurred him to pursue one breathtaking experience after another. This pushed him to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro-the tallest free-standing mountain in the world-and to pursue the ultimate adventure: the Ironman triathlon in Kona, Hawaii, the hardest race on earth. Along the way he forged a renewed bond with his family and launched a foundation to help disabled children around the world.

One More Step is a gripping New York Times bestselling story of human perseverance that demonstrates how our lives are not defined by limits, but by the moments and lessons that push us past them.

Introduction to Revised Edition ix

Prologue: Fight Your Fight xv

1. Normal. Happy. 1
2. A Boy Named Jake 13
3. Swimming in the Riptides 29
4. The Mountain 43
5. It's About to Get Real 65
6. The Wall 85
7. Fire in the Furnace 103
8. The Fun-House Mirror 137
9. Swim. Bike. Run. 163
10. Brothers 181
11. I Told You This Wasn't Going to Be Easy 203
12. Me Against the Island 221
13. Go Time 237
14. Man of Iron 251
15. Epilogue: One Man, One Mission. 271
16. Afterword 281
17. Acknowledgments 285