One Step at a Time: A Story of Courage, Healing, and What Truly Matters

In March 2022, my friend Kaleb Stoppel stepped in to stop a school shooting… and was shot.

That moment changed everything.

It’s the kind of story that makes headlines—and then fades away.
But for Kaleb, that wasn’t the end.
It was the beginning of a long, painful, and deeply honest journey toward healing.

There were surgeries.
Sleepless nights.
Hard questions about identity, faith, and purpose.

And yet—through it all—

• Grace showed up.

• Community showed up.

• Family and faith carried him when determination alone wasn’t enough.

Recently, Kaleb released a remarkable book:
“One Step at a Time: Surviving a School Shooting, Rebuilding My Life, and Rediscovering What Matters Most”

It’s not a “look how strong I am now” story.
It’s real. It’s raw. It’s hope-filled.

As leaders—executives, founders, entrepreneurs—we may not walk through what Kaleb did, but we do know what it’s like to battle unseen struggles:

• Imposter syndrome—feeling like you’re not enough, even after success.

• Self-doubt—wondering if you’re leading the right way.

• Pressure fatigue—carrying the weight of decisions that impact others.

• Isolation—feeling alone at the top, with no safe place to process failure.

• Loss of purpose—when the drive that once fueled you begins to flicker.

We’re expected to be decisive, composed, unshakeable.
But leadership isn’t about never falling—it’s about the resilience to rise again.

Kaleb’s story reminded me that recovery, both in life and leadership, doesn’t come in heroic leaps. It comes through small, faithful steps.

Steps that require vulnerability, community, and the courage to keep going—even when you can’t see the finish line.

If you’re walking through a hard season right now—
in your business or your home, maybe this is your reminder:

You don’t have to fix it all today.
You just have to take the next step.

Kaleb’s journey is proof that healing and purpose are possible.

> Grab the book here: https://a.co/d/0dpmXsVW

It’s not just a story about surviving.
It’s about rediscovering what truly matters—and leading from a deeper, more authentic place.