Author profile of - Stephen B Panus on smartbooksbuzz

Stephen B Panus

About the author

STEPHEN PANUS

Stephen Panus has been a publicist, sports agent, artist, attorney, sports marketing executive, and motivational speaker. He’s represented an NFL Pro Bowl player and Super Bowl champion, a multiple-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and a “Dancing with the Stars” champion, international star tennis players, and serves as CEO of Twisted Hairs, LLC, a modern marketing & public relations agency. Yet, the only title that’s ever mattered to him has been being a father to his two boys, Jake and Liam.

When his elder son, Jake, was tragically and suddenly killed as a passenger in a reckless and senseless car crash at the tender age of sixteen in the summer of 2020, Stephen’s life imploded. Seeking to both survive and move forward, he wrote “Walk On” to confront his daily agony and inspire his family with a renewed and resilient faith in living and turning their pain into purpose. Stephen and his wife, Kellie, live in Connecticut with their son, Liam, daughter, April, and two dogs.

WALK ON

"Walk On" is an inspiring and emotionally powerful story transcending grief, loss and love, and providing anyone suffering from any form of adversity or hardship with hope. Moreover, it's an authentic story of a father who honors that "our vulnerability is our strength" and therefore takes the reader where few men have gone - to the raw underbelly of surviving the loss of his 16-year old son tragically and suddenly and finding a way to turn his pain into purpose. "Walk On" has been featured on "Good Morning America" as a GMA Book Club Buzz selection earlier this year and has received endorsements from the likes of Lindsay Czarniak; Hall of Fame radio personality Jim...

Walk On: Turning Pain Into Purpose

How did you become an author and get published? Share your experience.

Once I finished writing it, I realized that perhaps the book could help others, beyond just Jake's little brother, Liam. Inspired by the notion of helping others confront their own loss, struggle or hardship, I sent emails to an array of publishers and literary agents. Much to my surprise, I received interest from a handful among the many rejection replies. I choose to move forward with Koehler Books based upon the fact that I received a personal and heartfelt reply from the president, John Koehler, and soon thereafter, connected in person, realizing then that they not only understood but wanted to help me share my story.

Stephen B Panus

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