404: What if you were stricken with the flesh-eating disease?

Scott Martin's harrowing journey begins with a seemingly routine trip to a Nike coaching event in 1993, which spirals into a life-threatening case of Group A strep with necrotizing fasciitis—commonly known as the flesh-eating disease. After collapsing from exhaustion and severe symptoms, Scott is rushed to the hospital, diagnosed with septic shock, and placed in a medically induced coma. Upon waking, he learns he must undergo emergency amputations of both hands and parts of both feet. The emotional toll is immense: he grapples with denial, fear, guilt, and shame, especially as he realizes the burden his illness placed on his family. Despite being told he should have died, Scott refuses to accept defeat. He rebuilds his life through relentless physical therapy, embracing myoelectric prosthetics and relearning how to walk with a surgically reconstructed foot. His career in coaching is derailed by discrimination and a failed malpractice lawsuit, leading to a period of deep depression. Yet, he finds purpose not in soccer, but in becoming a full-time adoptive father to five children from Romania and Ethiopia—transforming his identity and healing through service. Years later, at age 60, he returns to coaching a team of overlooked under-13 players, helping them rise through the ranks and win a state championship. This experience becomes his ultimate redemption, allowing him to reconnect with his core mission: empowering others to discover their own strength. Scott’s story culminates in a full-circle return to Wisconsin, a loving relationship with his soulmate Sue, and a profound sense of peace, having unwound the tangled thread of trauma into a straight, resilient path of purpose and connection.