Family.

Friends.

Co-workers.

Members.

Mentors.

People from my childhood.

People from Kitchener-Waterloo.

People from college and university.

People from the gym.

People from my past and people from my present.

And somehow, they all ended up in the same room.

If you've read The Will to Endure, you'll understand why that meant so much.

For years, I carried a tremendous amount of guilt and shame.

Not just because of the mistakes I made, but because of the people I hurt along the way.

For a long time, I wasn't sure how those chapters of my life would be received if I ever shared them honestly.

Standing on that stage was exciting.

But if I'm being truthful, it was also terrifying.

I was anxious.

Nervous.

Vulnerable.

The book contains things I never imagined sharing publicly.

Stories I spent years trying to outrun.

Yet when I looked around the room, all I saw was support.

Love.

Encouragement.

Grace.

And acceptance.

I honestly feel like I'm twenty pounds lighter.

Maybe more.

It's hard to explain.

For years I carried parts of this story by myself.

For years I carried guilt, shame, regret, and questions that never seemed to go away.

The launch felt like putting that weight down.

Not because the past disappeared.

But because I no longer feel like I have to carry it alone.

To the Bruce family—my brothers, my dad, and everyone who has always stood by me—thank you.

To the Marchesseau family—thank you.

To my friends from childhood, Kitchener-Waterloo, college, university, recovery, racing, and One Academy—thank you.

To every member, coach, and staff member who has supported me over the years—thank you.

Seeing all of those worlds come together in one room was something I'll never forget.

And to Niki, thank you for being there.

Your presence meant more than I'll ever be able to properly express.

Some people become part of your story forever.

Not because of how long they were in your life, but because of the impact they had on it.

Seeing you there was incredibly special.

The response to the book has been overwhelming in the best possible way.

The messages.

The conversations.

The stories people have shared with me.

The moments where someone says, "I saw a piece of myself in your story."

That's all I ever hoped for.

I didn't write this book to tell people about my life.

I wrote it in the hope that maybe one person would feel less alone in theirs.

If you've purchased the book, read the book, attended the launch, sent a message, shared a post, or simply encouraged me along the way, thank you.

You helped make one of the most meaningful days of my life possible.

I don't know if May 24th will always be the most important day of my life.

But right now, it feels like it might be.

Not because of the book.

Because of the people.

And because for the first time in a very long time, I feel free.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

– Jesse