Brett Garamella

The Monk Brett Garamella

Although Steve "Monk" Williams has lived through the best and worst of times, his unbreakable spirit and quick wit have touched everyone who has known him. He traveled around the world and met numerous friends as a skier and coach for the U. S. Ski Team. In the process he earned two Ivy League diplomas. Then came hardships and tragedy, one piled on top of another. He was fired as coach. Soon after, Monk was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an illness that slowly took away his job, ability to speak clearly and ability to walk. MS didn't, however, weaken his spirit. Neither did the sudden death of his wife, nor his isolation as the youngest resident in an assisted living home. Monk's room is filled with photos and lingering vestiges of his past. He says cross-country skiing for the national team was the answer to his insecurities and that it proved he was "a stud." Since moving from New England to Colorado, Monk has become a stud again ? skiing, biking, rafting, and participating in a local program for handicapped people, always with a big smile. He also has an incredible knack for one-liners. He sends his family and friends, whom he calls "Monk's Mafia," humorous e-mail accounts of his outdoor adventures. The Monk will make readers laugh and feel inspired to make the most of their own lives.