Finding Waypoints: A Warrior's Journey Toward Peace and Purpose

He had been through hell--his own and the devil's--and had emerged free of hate, free of encumbrance. If the person who had laid the bomb that took his legs were standing before him, Greg knew he would lay down his own weapon in forgiveness. The waypoints were becoming clearer. He would recover his body as well as his soul.

In military jargon, the word "waypoints" refers to guideposts on a map used to direct soldiers in or out of a location like a rendezvous point. For Colonel Greg Gadson-- a battalion commander and former West Point football player-- who lost both legs as a result of an IED attack in Iraq in 2007, these waypoints were to change drastically, and inform his future life through his long, painful recovery and emergence as a spiritual guide and assistant coach to the NY Giants during their own trials of fire in the 2007 season that took them from last place to a Super Bowl championship in 2008. Soon after, Gadson also starred in a major motion picture ("Battleship") and since then has become a motivational speaker for thousands of individuals, both civilian and military, and leader for veterans' programs and outdoor experiential healing expeditions. This honest and deeply personal story of transformation from battlefield leader to speaker and life coach, will inspire readers to consider their own waypoints towards their own life's betterment and the lives of those around them.

Author: Terese Schlachter
Publisher: Schaffner Press
Published: 11/07/2023
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781639640249


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal Prepub Alert 06/01/2023 pg. 16

About the Author

Colonel Gregory Gadson, (Ret.), was grievously wounded in an IED attack in Baghdad in 2007 when returning with his unit from a service for a fallen soldier. He subsequently lost both legs and severely injured his left arm, and in his rehabilitation and recovery, became a source of inspiration and motivation for other war-wounded at the Walter Reed Army Medical Ctr.

Due to his longtime connection with West Point as a football there, he became a motivational co-coach and spiritual guide to the then struggling NY Giants in 2007, who went from last place to Superbowl Champions in 2008. He subsequently, within a year of his wounding, starred in a major Hollywood blockbuster, "Battleship", and has become a motivational speaker and coach for numerous organizations both for civilian and veterans' groups.

An avid outdoorsman and enthusiast of skiing, horseback riding, and deep sea fishing, he led numerous adventure travel expeditions for wounded veterans. In October, 2022, the new veterans center at Wayne State University was named the Colonel Gregory Gadson Office of Military Veterans Affairs and Education in his honor. When not traveling around the country as a motivational speaker, Gadson enjoys time at home in Alexandria, VA with his wife, children and grandchildren, and pursues his acting career and his love of photography.Terese Schlachter is a Washington-DC based writer and video News producer (NBC News, Dept of Defense) and videographer, who, covering the new veterans facility at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Ctr. in 2007 first met Colonel Gadson and became fast friends and confidante to him during his painful recovery and rehabilitation. Terese is a three-time Emmy Award-winning television producer, and founder and Chief Story Teller of Ridgeback Communications. Together, their co-produced short film "Picture Perfect" was nominated for "Best Short" at the 2017 DC indie film festival and a National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy. She lives in Shady Side, Md. with her husband, Jon, and Lillian a Rhodesian Ridgeback dog.