“I was 16 years old when the plane crash happened,” writes Kechi Okwuchi in More Than My Scars: The Power of Perseverance, Unrelenting Faith, and Deciding What Defines You.

Crossroads

On a routine flight home from boarding school in December 2005, Kechi nestled into her seat and talked about college applications with her classmate, Toke. As the plane took off, Toke and Kechi dozed off until the plane started to descend. After seemingly normal turbulence, the next moments were a chaotic blur that ended in a crash—forever changing Kechi’s life.

One of just two survivors of a devastating crash that killed more than a hundred people, Kechi was left with third-degree burns over 65 percent of her body. Years of excruciating operations and skin-graft procedures followed.

The young woman persevered, buoyed by her loving family and a deep faith in God.“

God had already done the impossible for me,” Kechi writes. “No one but He could have pulled me and the other survivor out of that burning plane alive. After that, He kept me alive, kept my soul connected to my body.

“I realized I had reached a crossroads in my understanding of who and what God is.”

Unique Strength

Kechi first shared her story in 2017, when she auditioned as a vocalist on America’s Got Talent (AGT). Viewers were stunned by her voice and were inspired by her story as a plane crash survivor. Five years later, in her new book, Kechi details her story even more with a sense of honesty, wisdom and wit.

“A moment of clarity hit me when I realized there was a pattern in the way God moved in my life,” she reflects. “He answered my prayers in a way that made it very difficult to deny His divine touch in every situation. It felt like God was telling me He thrived in the most unlikely and desperate circumstances.”

“I realized I had reached a crossroads in my understanding of who and what God is.” KECHI OKWUCHI

More Than My Scars is Kechi’s raw, unfiltered story of suffering and hope, pain and grace, chaos and calm. She shares everything from growing up in Nigeria to life after the crash. Since gaining international recognition on AGT, Kechi has continued to sing and perform. She is also dedicated to burn-survivor and bullying-prevention advocacy.“

People tell me that they’d never have been able to handle the burden of my circumstances the way that I did, and maybe that’s true. But that does not mean I am stronger or more enduring than any other human being,” writes Kechi. “This was simply my own specific burden to bear, and I believe that when God made us, He equipped each of us with our own unique brand of strength that allows us to handle the individual burdens life will unfailingly throw at us.”

Holly Scheevel is a senior publicist for the Baker Publishing Group.

Book Giveaway: The first two people who comment on this review will receive a free copy of More Than My Scars. Winners will be contacted by email.