Adversity Doesn't Build Character, It Reveals It: The Mike Costanzo Story

Every law enforcement officer knows that, due to the nature of their profession, their days are either "normal," with all of the beauty and horror that goes along with the badge, or they aren't. In an instant, on July 1, 2020, on a seemingly "normal" day, an incident occurred that irrevocably changed the lives of many, including Charleston County Sherriff's Deputy, Mike Costanzo. Although not officially on duty yet, Deputy Costanzo made a decision to stop and help a disabled motorist who had run out of gas amid busy morning traffic on the Don Holt Bridge because, "it was the right thing to do." After instructing the motorist to get back in his car for safety purposes, he turned toward his own car and saw impending doom - an F350, going 49 mph, that didn't see him and wasn't slowing down. In the aftermath of the devastating crash, Costanzo clung to life in more ways than one. This extraordinary story of Costanzo's journey from that indelible moment to present day - through the rehabilitation, depression and emergence to his "new normal" - leaves a deep mark on all who read it. A riveting, inspirational tale of trauma, the journey of healing physical and mental wounds, and the indemnity of the human spirit, Adversity Doesn't Build Character, It Reveals It will make you laugh and cry and is a must-read for anyone who is searching for inspiration in the face of adversity.