Refined by fire : a family's triumph of love and faith : a soldier's story of 9-11

2005 Gold Medallion Award finalist! When hijacked American Flight 77 slammed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, LTC (RET) Brian Birdwell was only 15 to 20 yards away. He stepped out into the corridor and was instantly engulfed in flames—burns consumed 60 percent of his body, with almost 40 percent of them third-degree. Thirty-plus operations and countless physical therapy sessions later, his recovery has truly been remarkable, and spiritually he and his family are stronger than ever before. Brian and his wife, Mel, tell their captivating story of God's grace and sovereignty.

When hijacked American Flight 77 slammed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, LTC (RET) Brian Birdwell was only 15 to 20 yards away. He stepped out into the corridor and was instantly engulfed in flames—burns consumed 60 percent of his body, with almost 40 percent of them third-degree. Thirty-plus operations and countless physical therapy sessions later, his recovery has truly been remarkable, and spiritually he and his family are stronger than ever before. Brian and his wife, Mel, tell their captivating story of God's grace and sovereignty.

Publishers Weekly

Using vivid first-person narration, the Birdwells describe how Brian suffered second- and third-degree burns over 60% of his body when terrorists crashed a jet into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and how the family's Christian faith brought them through Brian's recovery. Birdwell spent three months in the hospital, enduring more than 30 surgeries, daily debridement (removal of unhealthy tissue) and physical therapy. Details set this book apart. The Birdwells relate Brian's horrific injuries and treatments in a way that might turn some stomachs. They also expose their own shortcomings: Mel feels guilty about leaving her son and berates some hospital staffers, while Brian expresses anger toward the terrorists. Such confessions lend credence to the Birdwells' belief that only a sovereign God could bring them through their ordeal.

The story of Bronze Star veteran LTC Brian Birdwell who was standing in the path of the hijacked jetliner when it slammed into the Pentagon on 9-11 is a story of inspiration and faith