Climbing Through

In Climbing Through, Melissa Strong, a rock climber and restaurateur, unveils her remarkable journey of survival and resilience in the face of mortality after being horrifically injured by electricity. Transporting readers back to her early days in New England, Strong vividly recounts her transformation from a self-described "C" student in gym class to a sponsored rock climber. She dismantles conventional expectations, forging a distinctive path that culminates in the realization of her own restaurant venture. Navigating her uncertainties about parenthood and grappling with the challenges of infertility, Strong rebounds toward her dreams and weaves them into tangible aspirations. The vision of her restaurant takes shape, but in a fateful twist, a near-fatal encounter with a powerful electric current during the renovation process leaves her confronting the stark reality of her altered hands, once the lifeblood of her livelihood and rock-climbing passion. As she navigates the complex realm of medical intervention, enduring multiple surgeries and an arduous recovery, she discovers within herself an indomitable spirit that propels her through adversity. Climbing Through is a poignant chronicle of unwavering fortitude, an inspiring testament to the triumph of the human spirit over life's most daunting challenges.

Melissa Strong, a sponsored rock climber, manages the acclaimed restaurants Bird & Jim and the Bird's Nest when not climbing or inspiring others through speaking engagements and writing. She lives in Estes Park, Colorado.