Join us in celebrating the launch of Jody Mitic's raw, candid, and engrossing memoir of his journey into the Canadian military, through sniper training, and firefights in Afghanistan, culminating on the fateful night when he stepped on a landmine and lost both of his legs below the knees.
Presented with the Ottawa International Writers Festival
“I’ve read it all, start to finish, in one enthralled session. Unflinching is raw, personal, unforgiving, unrelenting and draws one into Jody’s life, with a vividness and a colour that’s visceral.”
—General Rick Hillier, former Chief of Defence Staff for the Canadian Forces
In this gritty, no-holds-barred memoir, Jody reveals he was born to be a soldier. An aimless teen in search of belonging, he found brotherhood and discipline in army life.
On the warfront, Jody experienced first-hand the valour and the chaos, the battle scars and the pain of war—including the tragic losses of fellow soldiers wounded or killed in action. And one day in 2007, when he was on a mission in a small Afghan village, he stepped on a landmine and the course of his life was forever changed. After losing both of his legs below the knees, Jody was forced to confront the loss of the only identity he had ever known—that of a soldier.
Determined to be of service to his family and to his country, he refused to let injury defeat him. Within three years after the explosion, he was not only walking again, he was running. By 2013, he was a star on the blockbuster reality TV show Amazing Race. And in 2014, Jody reinvented himself yet again, winning a seat as a city councillor for Ottawa.
Unflinching is a powerful chronicle of the honour and sacrifice of an ordinary Canadian fighting for his country, and an authentic portrait of military life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jody Mitic is a twenty-year Canadian Armed Forces veteran and Sniper Team Leader. A sought-after motivational speaker, he is a respected advocate for wounded veterans, people with disabilities, and amputees. He founded the Never Quit Foundation and currently sits on the Board of Directors of Won with One, an organization devoted to helping physically challenged athletes realize their dreams. He currently serves on Ottawa City Council. Jody lives in Ottawa with his wife, Alannah, and two daughters, Aylah and Kierah. Find Jody Mitic on Facebook and @JODYMITIC on Twitter.