John Douglas is a high school junior whose father, a US Army Colonel, is listed, officially, as MIA in the Iraq theatre of operations.  That fact weights heavily on the young high school junior athlete and haunts his dreams.  During his varsity basketball season JD, as his friends call him, and his mother receive the news that his father was, in fact, killed in action in Iraq and the body is returned home for burial.  At the same time, the young athlete breaks his right arm in a basketball game that takes him out of action for six weeks and he finds out his girl friend is moving out of town due to her father's army transfer.  These events drive him into a deep depression and his tortured nightmares return.

JD helps a new transfer student, who is a paraplegic, out of a tight spot at the high school on the new student's first day there.  Because of the loss of the use of his legs, the wheelchair bound student also suffers from depression and questions the value in living.  Events lead the two students to begin a friendship that leads to both of them learning new life lessons.

A former high school teacher and coach, Blaine R. Smith is currently an elementary school Superintendent/Principal. He has over 30 years experience in the education profession. His grandfather was a WWI US Army infantryman, and his father was a WWII US Army Air Corps pilot. Several members of his family have served in the modern United States military. His deep respect for the United States Armed Forces is an integral part of his books.