Mayhem: a life

Mayhem: A Life is a remarkable memoir of resilience. It is a portrait of a man consumed with an unnameable fire that leads to incredible achievements and devastating catastrophes. At the opening of the book, young Cliff experiences a drilling rig accident that results in a near-death experience. He leaves this earthly plane, only to return to its pain and beauty. And then, in one of his many transformations, Cliff leaves the roughneck life to become-of all things-a womanizing hairdresser. But soon he resumes his rough-and-tumble ways, resulting in another near-fatal accident, losing the use of his hands. After a series of incredible events, he is sent to prison for drug trafficking, where he again remakes his life, becoming a bodybuilder with virtually no use of his hands and a high-achieving college student. When released from prison, he grabs the opportunity for a new life, tenaciously studying nuclear medicine for years and after graduating Loma Linda university becomes very successful at his trade. But mayhem strikes again in yet another near-fatal accident that leaves Cliff wondering if his perseverance has reached its limits. With remarkable candor, Cliff Helm offers a portrayal of a life lived to the hilt. He has a tough and tender story to tell, and he tells it no-holds-barred.