10/23/2026
"What Real Grit Looks Like. There are books that teach, books that entertain, and books that remind us what human beings are capable of enduring. Finding Solid Footing falls firmly into the latter category. What stayed with me most wasn't the medical journey itself, but the extraordinary perseverance Katy Grainger demonstrated in the face of circumstances few of us can truly imagine. Time and again, when life seemed determined to overwhelm her, she found the courage to keep going. Not because she knew how the story would end, but because she refused to let unimaginable circumstances define it. We often celebrate grit when it looks heroic and triumphant. Katy's story reminds us that real grit is often much quieter. Sometimes it looks like enduring uncertainty. Sometimes it looks like accepting help. Sometimes it looks like letting go of a life you loved so that you can embrace the life that is waiting to emerge. What also shines throughout the story is the unwavering love of family, friends, and community. Again and again, we see how hope is sustained not only by individual grit, but by the people who refuse to let us lose sight of who we are when we are struggling to remember it ourselves. One particularly moving example is the way Katy's daughters helped everyone around her envision recovery before it was visible, reminding those caring for her—and perhaps Katy herself—that she was far more than the crisis she was experiencing. Ultimately, this is a story about faith—not necessarily faith that life will unfold according to plan, but faith that we can find meaning, purpose, and even unexpected gifts amid uncertainty. The line that stays with me from the book is Katy's reflection that "we can't dictate our lives, but we can move forward with faith and find the lives we are meant to live within the messy chaos of everything beyond our control." For anyone facing adversity, loss, uncertainty, or simply a season of life that isn't unfolding the way they hoped, Finding Solid Footing offers a powerful reminder: we do not get to choose every chapter of our lives, but we do get to choose how we meet them. Katy's story is a beautiful testament to what is possible when courage, faith, love, and perseverance come together in the face of the unimaginable" - Kim A Curtin
