When Mark McDonough was a teen, a catastrophic fire claimed the lives of his mother and younger brother. It also left Mark with burns on over 65 percent of his body. During a long and painful recovery, his faltering faith in God was strengthened by a remarkable near-death experience. Inspired to pursue a career as a plastic surgeon to help those who suffer as he has, McDonough has overcome … numerous other adversities on his journey, including addiction and a stroke. Now he shares his incredible true story of survival and perseverance to bring hope and healing to those dealing with great physical and emotional pain.
Anyone who has suffered or watched a loved one suffer from a personal trauma, disease, or loss that has tested or stolen their faith and exhausted their emotional resources will find real hope in this redemptive story.
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Wow, what a story of redemption, love and forgiveness. “Forged through Fire” is the raw and unvarnished story of a man searching for meaning and answers in the midst of great trials.” Jesus certainly does not promise His followers a life free from trials or pain, but the author’s faith is not in any shape perfect, he spent time away from God, but through his trials and pain he learned that God is always with him. When he was 16, Mark was in a catastrophic house fire that claimed the lives of his mother and youngest brother. Suffering burns over 65% of his body, his first thoughts turned to death being better than the suffering he was in.
If you or a loved one has suffered from personal trauma, disease or loss that has tested or stolen your faith and exhausted your emotional resources, you’ll find real hope in his redemptive story. I went through a dark time as a care giver for my grandmother who passed away from dementia. To say it was easy would be an understatement. Believing in God and trusting in Him does not mean our lives will be easy or we won’t face struggles. Romans 8:28- And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called to his purpose. Mark shared his near-death experience which made his faith stronger in the end. With each reconstructive surgery after the other his faith was tested. Still, he became a physical therapist, physician, and later a plastic reconstructive surgeon.
I highly recommend “Forged through Fire.” If Mark preserved through all his trials and pain there is no reason why we can’t.
I received a copy of the book from Revell/Baker Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion.
My Review of Forged Through Fire by Mark McDonough MD: Wow! This is an intense, powerful, and inspiring story. Following the author’s story of suffering, sadness, and survival. Written in a way that pulls you in and shows you an incredible story. I don’t often read biographies but I am glad I picked up this one, it was a wonderful and horrifying (can you imagine being burned on over 60 percent of your body?) read.
Sharing about the burns in great detail, and alcohol, alcoholism, surgeries, suicide, murder, and lots of trauma, (it is really sad too,) which makes it a book for 16 up.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
I don’t read a lot of memoirs, so I’m very glad that I took a chance on Forged through Fire by Mark D. McDonough, MD. The words that come after the colon in the title say it all: “A Reconstructive Surgeon’s Story of Survival, Faith, and Healing.” Forged through Fire refers to a fire that was both literal and figurative. It’s not an easy read and I’m sure it wasn’t easy to write; yet on the other hand, it is extremely uplifting and redemptive. God’s ways are clearly seen. This is a book that will touch all readers.
The story opens as 16-year-old Mark’s almost idyllic family life took an abrupt turn the night he barely escaped a house fire that took the lives of his mother and youngest brother. Interspersed in his account of the ensuing weeks and months are adolescent memories that shaped him into the young man he had become. The narrative is very well written, effortlessly drawing readers into Mark’s physical and emotional pain. It is honest, raw, and heartfelt.
Forged through Fire is also informative. I don’t fully understand the medical aspects of a burn injury, but I’ve seen enough TV to know this is a traumatic experience with life hanging in the balance. Dr. McDonough is gifted at bringing medical situations and explanations into sharp focus, in a way that readers can easily follow and grasp. It was also interesting that, after a subsequent surgery when Mark wasn’t fully “out” while under anesthesia, he talked about the chemical makeup of anesthesia at the time and why such a thing could happen.
Another key element to this story that I loved was the effects all this had on family relationships and the problem of how to integrate back into a normal life where physical appearance is held in such high esteem. Best of all was the faith element that was shown in such a realistic way – imperfect at times, but consistent overall; with moments of weakness and doubt, but a steady work in progress.
Dr. McDonough’s life beautifully reflects how only God sees the big picture and is constantly working out His purposes – from the doctors and other people of faith who came into his life along the way, to his desire use his experience to help others. I’m thankful that Dr. McDonough shared his story.
Recommended.
I received a copy of this book from Revell Publishing. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
This book sucked me in like oxygen in a backdraft—sudden and intense and overpowering.
Ordinarily not a fan of non-fiction, I consumed this book with keen interest. Dr. McDonough’s writing is vivid and inviting, placing the reader right in the middle of the action.
Dr. McDonough’s story reads like, well, a story—always something happening, always moving through the author’s life; if I hadn’t known otherwise, I would have assumed it a fascinating work of fiction.
I appreciated the glimpses into Dr. McDonough’s childhood, his family tales; it made the story more complete, more robust. Written, of course, in first person, the story became even more personal as I read, like a friend describing each incident and anecdote to me.
This story struck a deep chord in this reviewer—six years ago, at age thirty-five, my oldest son was burned on his hand and face. Though far from the injury Dr. McDonough suffered, I witnessed the extreme pain my son endured. Happily, he was treated with his own stem cells and needed no skin grafts.
ROBIN’S FEATHERS
ALL | THE | FEATHERS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Book Review, Forged Through Fire, Mark D. McDonough MD
With my love and focus on fiction, true stories, stories of courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, can capture my attention quickly, for it is the love of story that keeps me reading. Adding the true human experience to story creates satisfying reading encounter.
Forged through Fire: A Reconstructive Surgeon’s Story of Survival, Faith, and Healing is a stunning glimpse of Mark D. McDonough’s life story, a story of tragic circumstances that engendered a tenacity and strong faith. At the tender age of 5 years, young McDonough was stricken with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a debilitating neurological illness that required months of physical and occupational therapy. He recovered fully.
At 16 years, his father went on a business trip, leaving young Mark “in charge”; awakening to heavy smoke within days after his father left, Mark began yet another fight for life, his and that of his siblings and mother. Helping 3 brothers escape the raging fire that had engulfed their home, Mark began battling through flames and heavy smoke to save his mother and youngest brother. Becoming unconscious just inside the garage door, he was rescued; his next clear awareness of anything was pain, excruciating pain. He had experienced burns over 60% of his body.
Forged through Fire, is one of the most difficult life stories I’ve read, yet Mark D. McDonough survived the extremely painful process of recovering from burns, plus over 30 surgeries to correct the damage. His body survived, but how was this young man able to emotionally and mentally survive the horrific tragedy that had befallen him. A tragedy that that also resulted in the death of his mother and younger brother. Faith, a faith grown through tragedy, not in spite of it or walking around it, but through it.
Dr. Mark D. McDonough is that young 16 year man who fought his way through the fire to become a respected reconstructive surgeon. Currently, Dr. McDonough continues to practice reconstructive surgery part-time, sharing his story of Forged through Fire with others who are experiencing their own pain, walking through the fire with them.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Just Read Tours and am not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions therein are solely my own, and freely given.
Wow, what a story Mark McDonough shares in Forged Through Fire. And none of it is fiction.
As McDonough recounts the tragic house fire that resulting in the deaths of one of his brothers and his mother and left him with burns over 65% of his body, readers get a taste of the pain and suffering this family experienced. The way the author weaves chapters of his family life (including stories of his childhood, a look into the family dynamics, friendships, and more) with his suffering, surgeries, recovery, and near-death experience helps alleviate some of the heaviness of the descriptive process to heal his body.
Yet, I found myself shaking my head in sympathy at how much this family had suffered only for McDonough to drop another tragedy or fact about the fire I didn’t see coming.
The testimony of this family confirms that God does not promise His followers a life excluded from pain. McDonough’s faith is not perfect, he’s had periods spent away from God or in the desert, but he’s learned to lean on God through hardships, pain, sorrow, and disappointment. It’s a testimony I won’t soon forget.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
This book just tore my heart because of its subject matter. Dr. McDonough was a teen tasked with taking care of his family when his dad was out of town. That’s when the fire occurred that burned him badly and killed two members of his family. This is the story of the pain he endured on his way to healing, both physically and mentally. It is also the story of a young man who learns to cry out to God. He suffered the worst way imaginable and was able to come through with a new vision and purpose for his life. The story was hard for me to read because my father was burned badly when I was a young child. I knew that my dad spent over a year in a burn unit and had scars for the rest of his life. This book gave me insight into the horrible treatment that my father had to undergo and, honestly, there were times when I could not see the print through my tears. I am thankful that this memoir gave me this insight and I think that all who want to empathize with victims of great tragedy should read it; it will certainly open your eyes to the suffering that burn victims go through and the changes that they have to accept in their lives. My father passed away two years ago; I wish that I had had this book before he died so I could talk to him and just tell him that I understood his pain more clearly. I hope that all who read this review will pick up this book and read it with an open mind and an open heart.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Thank you in advance to Just Read Publicity Tours, Revell, and Mark Donough, MD for a copy of this book to review. It was a pleasure and honor to review this book. I was not compensated in any way, nor was a positive view required.
All thoughts are my own.
“Forged Through Fire” by Mark McDonough, MD is his personal memoir of how a tragedy when he was 16 transformed his life and how his faith in God guided him through the dark days of recovery, rehabilitation, and finding his own path. This book extensively talks about God and faith. Though I had no issues with it and loved reading this book despite the topic that started Mark’s journey.
When he was 16, Mark was in a catastrophic house fire that claimed the lives of his mother and youngest brother. Suffering burns over 65% of his body, his first thoughts turned to death being better than the suffering he was in.
During one surgery, he recalls the vivid details of the surgery – feeling the pain and being acutely aware of what was being said and done. It was that same surgery that lead to a “near-death” experience which McDonough beautifully describes. With that experience he realized that God would be there to help us survive our trials and experiences and that he was meant to survive the ordeal that had almost consumed his life. With each reconstructive surgery after the other his faith was tested.
Still, he became a physical therapist, physician, and later a plastic and reconstructive surgeon.
Through McDonough’s book, the reader learns about his past and even that of his family’s. He talks about perseverance and trials. His life and journey have not been perfect. He has battled Guillain-Barré syndrome as a child, the fire, alcoholism, a stroke, and the loss of two siblings (one to suicide and the other to a vertebral artery aneurysm), later his father to cancer.
Still, despite all the challenges, he remains humble and inspiring. He is also the proud father of three sons – Connor, Riley, and Toby who form the popular band “Before You Exit”.
McDonough’s book is a testament to his faith, though not perfect, always a work in progress. After another health setback, he was forced to scale back his medical practice but still serves as a volunteer at local clinics.
“Forged Through Fire” is an inspiring read that serves as hope for those who
always wonder “why”, have been tested, or need a reminder that God is always there for us. We don’t always know the plans God has for us, but he will be there with us during the trials. Pain is not the end of the story by any means.
McDonough, like the Phoenix, has risen literally from the ashes to physically heal people and help guide them as well.
This book will certainly have triggers for those who’ve lost loved ones by fire, accidents, suicide, PTSD. It is a difficult, challenging, and beautiful read – possibly serving to heal the spirit.
I rarely recommend books, but I do highly recommend this book.
Release Date: September 3, 2019