Greg Smith’s new memoir Stronger Than Bone is an uplifting and inspiring story of defying the odds. Diagnosed with Type III Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Brittle Bones Disease) as a toddler, Greg wasn’t expected to live past 25. Now almost 70, his life story is a testament to the power of persistence, optimism and compassion. We sat down with Greg to find out more.
Compassiviste: Did you find it daunting putting your own life story out into the world for people to read?
Greg: Not at all. I wanted to write my memoir because I hope my story increases awareness of brittle bone disorder, namely Osteogeneses Imperfecta. Since they tell me I’m one of the oldest survivors in the world of OI (I’m 69 on November 16; the average age of a Type III OI patient is 25 years), I felt it was my duty to document my story, not only for medical professionals to examine, but for others with OI, to let them know not to give up hope. I also wanted to offer hope and inspiration to anyone facing an insurmountable challenge in life. I want everyone to have the availability to look up my story, read it or listen to it, and find peace, contentment and hope.
When I was a kid, growing up in the late fifties and sixties, there was no internet, few support groups, and not much knowledge about this rare bone disorder. OI patients and their families will now have the opportunity to read a rare first-person account of what it’s like to survive hundreds of fractured bones and grow old while doing so. They will know that they too can lead a happy and joyful life with OI, if they only have hope.
Compassiviste: What is your favorite part of the book?
Greg: Certainly the happy parts. There are many happy parts. Yes, there are parts where the reader will need to keep a box of tissues handy, but my story isn’t a downer. I purposely didn’t want to write it that way. I didn’t want to bring anyone down or have the reader constantly feel sympathy for my plight. I wanted to take readers along on my journey in a very casual way, as if we are sitting together on my back deck with glasses of iced tea, just chatting.
I wanted to write about the fun times I experienced in life, from my dogs to sports to events at school and work, meeting the unforgettable characters I encountered along the way. I wanted to highlight the special angels in my life, like my parents, my family, and my wife, Holly. Even though my favorite parts are the happy instances in my story, I think my best writing may be during the sadder times, like when my beloved mother dies, or when I face immense suffering in the dreaded Cast Room at Children’s Hospital.
Those sad times weren’t easy to relive or write but they needed to be related to make the story complete. Without these times of sadness, the times of triumph would not be as uplifting.
Compassiviste: Sum yourself — and your memoir — up in three words.
Greg: NEVER GIVE UP. That theme, those three words, are in my story from start to finish. It would’ve been so easy to curl up in a ball and forget everything, spending my time—from childhood to adulthood—pulling the covers over my head in bed. But something was always driving me to keep going. I can’t explain it.
I give so much praise to my parents, who wouldn’t allow me to give up. There was always something to look forward to in life, despite the broken bones—always an upcoming ballgame or birthday or Sunday spaghetti dinner, always something to help me forget my suffering, even for a little while.
This theme of never giving up goes beyond the physical to the mental and emotional aspects of going through life with a disability. There was always discrimination to deal with, always an inaccessible world to face, always barriers in the way. I got used to fighting because I fought every single day, be it the red tape getting into school, the lack of ramps and cut-curbs in society or the discrimination I experienced when I applied for a social work position.
But what’s cool is that with every obstacle, my spirit became stronger.
Compassiviste: What’s one thing you hope people take away from your story?
Greg: To always have hope. Without hope, there is nothing. No matter how grim the situation, how daunting the challenge ahead, don’t lose hope. Somehow, someway, you’ll get through it. Stay positive, lean on your angels in life, and keep the faith.
I hope people who read my story will say “If he could do it, so can I.” I didn’t have any special superpowers. Surviving broken bones didn’t leave much alternative—you either do it or you don’t. You either go with the flow and ride out fracture after fracture or you give up. There is no in between.
Even when I felt overwhelmed by grief, by loneliness, by confinement, by pain, I always held a glimmer of hope that things would get better in time. When things became bleak in life, when the night was the darkest, the sun would always come out the next day, giving me renewed strength and hope.
Compassiviste: What makes this book a “must-read”?
Greg: Well, it’s a rare first-person account of surviving an incurable disease not many people have heard of. Before I wrote Stronger Than Bone, I searched libraries and the internet, looking for first-person accounts of what it’s like to survive Osteogeneses Imperfecta.
I found books written by family members. I found medical journals written by physicians and nurses. But nothing by the survivor himself/herself. Because the average life span is so short, because childhood is so clouded with pain, time to write down one’s feelings and perspective is limited.
Not only do I write about my chaotic childhood, I also write about adolescence, adulthood and even into old age, still with OI, only with different challenges as the years go by.
So, for those with OI or their families, it’s a roadmap of how to survive, what to look for in the future, as well as pages of encouragement. For those without OI, it’s a sustained journey, spanning decades, of hope.
The world is a very confusing, sometimes dark place now. We all need a shining light, a beacon of hope, something to keep us going in life. If my story helps even one person who is down or is thinking of giving up, then it was worth writing. Stronger Than Bone is a cheerful dash of positivity in a sometimes negative world. We all need hope—and that may be what best makes my story a “must read.”
About Greg:
Gregory Smith is a retired medical social worker. He is the author of 33 short stories, 20 of which have been published. Greg is active on social media, including Facebook, X, BlueSky and Instagram.
He enjoys reading (especially biographies), watching sports (Go Phillies & Eagles) and classic movies (anything with Tom Hanks), and listening to music (especially The Beatles, Richard Marx and Barry Manilow).
Greg has a beautiful wife, Holly, and is known as “Daddy” to a pair of cute dogs, Katie and Cocoa.
About Stronger Than Bone:
He Wasn’t Supposed to Make It Past 25. Now He’s Redefining What It Means to Survive.
Diagnosed as a toddler with Type III Osteogenesis Imperfecta—commonly known as Brittle Bone Disease—Greg Smith was told his life would be short and painful. The doctor’s prognosis: he wouldn’t live to see his 25th birthday.
But Greg refused to accept his fate.
Now nearly 70, and one of the world’s oldest survivors of Type III OI, Greg shares his extraordinary story of grit, grace, and the relentless pursuit of life.
In Stronger Than Bone, Greg takes readers on a journey that defies medical odds and redefines resilience. From childhood trauma to hard-won triumphs, the memoir is a testament to the power of determination, joy, compassion and love—even when the world tells you to give up.
More than a story of survival, this is an inspirational resource for anyone navigating life’s toughest challenges. Whether you’re living with OI, caring for someone who is, or simply searching for motivation, Stronger Than Bone proves that the human spirit isn’t just resilient—it’s unbreakable.
