Blown Up in Battle: A Memoir of Trauma, Recovery, and Triumph

In the chaos of war, one explosion can shatter a life, but it doesn't have to end it. Blown Up in Battle is the raw story of James May, a U.S. Army veteran whose path from a violent, impoverished childhood to Iraq's front lines ends in a devastating IED blast that cracks his skull and causes traumatic brain injury.

Escaping poverty, addiction, and family turmoil, James enlists seeking purpose and finds brotherhood in the Army. But on February 15, 2010, a triple EFP tears through his MRAP, derailing his pilot dreams and plunging him into chronic pain, memory loss, and addiction. Through his wife Shyanne's steadfast support, fatherhood to three children, and rediscovered faith from that white-light moment, James heals. He builds a real estate photography business aiding trafficking survivors, then returns to oil and gas with unyielding drive. Co-authored by combat veteran Douglas A. Franklin, this memoir draws from unedited veteran interviews, capturing grit, tears, and triumphs amid PTSD and purpose. For veterans, families, and resilience seekers, James's journey proves: "Those moments don't define you. You're strong. Let's get up, let's go."