The Battle Left Behind
A Veteran Widow’s Story of Loss, Love and the Long Journey to Healing
The night I learned Michael was gone, my life split into before and after. This is the story of everything I learned.
A #1 new release in Military Families on Amazon. Out now in Kindle and paperback.
About the Book
A raw and redemptive memoir
When Anita Sullivan receives a phone call on an ordinary February day, her world shatters. Her estranged husband, Michael—a Navy veteran, devoted father, beloved coach, and man who had battled chronic illness and depression for years—is gone. In an instant, Anita must face the unimaginable task of telling their three children that their father has died, while carrying the weight of grief, guilt, unanswered questions, and the overwhelming responsibility of helping her family survive the aftermath.
In The Battle Left Behind, Anita shares an unflinchingly honest memoir of love, loss, resilience, and healing. Moving between the heartbreaking day that changed everything and the two decades that preceded it, she recounts a marriage shaped by deep devotion, military life, chronic illness, caregiving, faith, and the invisible wounds of mental health struggles. As she pieces together the fragments of Michael’s life and confronts the realities of his decline, Anita wrestles with a question familiar to so many survivors: Could she have done more?
Yet this is not only a story of tragedy. It is a story of what comes after. Through the support of family, friends, fellow survivors, and organizations serving military families, Anita and her children begin the long journey toward hope. Along the way, she discovers purpose in advocacy, finds healing in community, and learns that love can endure even after devastating loss.
Raw, compassionate, and deeply inspiring, The Battle Left Behind offers comfort to anyone who has experienced grief, loved someone struggling with mental illness, or wondered how to move forward after life’s darkest moments. It is a powerful reminder that while loss changes us forever, healing is possible—and love lives on.
Who it’s for
If you’ve loved someone through mental illness. If you’ve lost someone to suicide. If you’re parenting through grief, holding a family together while your own heart is breaking, or sitting in the messy middle of healing and wondering if it gets better. I wrote this for you.
There’s a chair here for you too
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Your review helps the next person find it
Reviews are how Amazon decides who sees a book. A military survivor scrolling at 2am. A widow who’s sure nobody gets it. If this story meant something to you, a few honest sentences on Amazon puts it in front of them. It doesn’t have to be long, and it doesn’t have to be glowing. Honest is what helps.
To my launch team: thank you. You got this book to #1 in new releases for Military Families before it was even out.
Not ready to buy yet?
Read the first chapter free. It starts with the phone call, and it’ll tell you whether this book is for you.
And if you’ve already bought the book, thank you. I made a short guide called When Words Aren’t Enough as my thank-you, and it’s yours. Kindle or paperback, pre-orders included.
Stay in touch
Want to hear what’s next?
I’ll let you know when I’m speaking somewhere near you, when a new interview goes out, and what I’m working on next. No spam. Just me, every so often.
The Battle Left Behind
A Veteran Widow’s Story of Loss, Love and the Long Journey to Healing
If you’re struggling right now, please know you are not alone. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free and available 24/7. Call or text 988. Military survivors can reach the TAPS National Military Survivor Helpline anytime at 1-800-959-TAPS (8277).
Book Me for Your Event
Anita’s powerful storytelling and unique experiences resonate with audiences, making her the perfect speaker for your next event. Whether discussing resilience, community, or personal growth, she tailors her message to inspire and engage.