A deeply personal story about love, commitment, and what "'til death do us part" really looks like-and how you find a way to live again after facing your deepest pain.
This story will make you cry, laugh, get angry, and feel something real.
As human beings, we all experience some form of pain- the pain of disappointment from family and friends, the pain of job loss or unexpected career changes, the pain of a breakup or divorce, and the pain of losing someone we love. In this game of life, pain is inevitable. What matters is how we respond it- how we carry it, how we manage it, and ultimately how we find a way to move forward.
Until the Wheels Fall Off is a deeply personal memoir that reflects on a 29-year relationship and the life built within it. Through a series of real-life moments and reflections, the author reveals what it looks like to move forward after everything has changed - going from a house full of life... to being the only life in that same house.
But this story is more than loss.
It is a story about commitment-what it truly looks like when life doesn't go as planned, and how showing up for the people you love-and for yourself-requires more than words.
Following an early release to a limited audience, nearly 300 readers have already experienced the book-offering a wide range of perspectives and sharing how deeply the story resonated with them.
Based on that early feedback, readers have connected with themes such as:
- A true love story-one that puts "'til death do us part" to the test, and shows what it looks like to live it all the way through
- Resilience in the face of grief
- Personal accountability and self-reflection
- The realities of caregiving and family responsibility
- The importance of financial awareness and estate planning
- Insight for widows and widowers on what it means to learn how to live again
- Offering a perspective on male vulnerability, while shedding light on women's health challenges such as endometriosis and infertility
Each chapter offers more than a story- it offers perspective. An opportunity for readers to reflect on their own lives, their own commitments, and how they choose to navigate life's most difficult moments.
While rooted in personal loss, this memoir reaches beyond it-making the experience relatable even to those whose pain may come from different life experiences.
Because at its core, this is not just a story about losing someone.
It's a story about how you continue living... after facing your deepest pain.
Stephens, Gary, Jr.: - "Gary Stephens Jr. is an entrepreneur, business and financial consultant, and now author with over two decades of experience helping individuals and organizations achieve financial stability and lasting success. As founder of SMG Consulting Group he has guided entrepreneurs and high-achievers toward purpose-driven growth through strategic-business planning, financial management, and financial literacy. In his debut memoir, Until the Wheels Fall Off, Gary reveals how the discipline and planning that fueled his entrepreneurial success became the foundation that held him together through caregiving, grief, and rebuilding. The book explores how intentional preparation - the mindset, resilience, and personal financial affairs - creates the strength to navigate life's most difficult moments. After more than twenty years of guiding clients toward purpose and growth, Gary now continues that same mission through his writing - inspiring others to plan with intention, lead with integrity, and handle their business in every aspect of life."
