Some lives progress quietly, while others are shaped by collision, by near-misses, hard lessons, and moments when survival itself feels like a second chance. Twice Saved by Death: An Unforgettable Story of Resilience and Redemption by Leslie Walter Haas belongs firmly in the latter category. This deeply personal memoir is not merely a recounting of events but a reckoning with life itself, its randomness, its cruelty, its grace, and its unexpected beauty.
Known to friends and readers as “Fes,” Haas writes with a voice that is unfiltered, reflective, and unmistakably human. His story unfolds through memory, sometimes tender, sometimes humorous, often raw, as he traces a life shaped by faith, music, family, love, failure, and survival. From childhood experiences marked by trauma and wonder to adulthood defined by ambition, war, loss, and self-examination, Haas invites readers into a journey that feels intensely individual yet universally relatable.
At its heart, Twice Saved by Death is about resilience. Leslie survives not just physical dangers but emotional and spiritual crises, moments where identity fractures and purpose feels lost. The death referenced in the title is both literal and symbolic. Brushes with mortality that force him to confront who he is, what he values, and how close a life can come to disappearing without meaning. In surviving these moments, he emerges changed, not perfected, but awakened.
What sets this memoir apart is its refusal to romanticize hardship. The author does not sanitize his mistakes or soften his doubts. He writes boldly about failures, self-sabotage, and strained relationships. Yet even in the darkest chapters, there is humor, sharp, self-aware, and often disarming. That balance gives the book its emotional credibility. Readers are not asked to admire the author from a distance but to walk alongside him, flawed and searching.
Music is combined through the narrative, both as refuge and as revelation. As a musician and songwriter, Haas finds in his guitar a form of prayer, rebellion, and survival. Music becomes a parallel language, one that expresses what words sometimes cannot. It anchors him during moments of chaos and helps him process grief, love, and identity. The memoir’s rhythm reflects this musicality, moving fluidly between memory, reflection, and insight.
Faith also plays a complex role in the author’s journey. Raised within strong religious traditions, he wrestles openly with belief, doubt, guilt, and grace. Rather than offering easy answers, the book explores faith as a lived experience, one shaped by contradictions, disappointments, and moments of quiet awe. Haas’s reflections on God, prayer, and morality are thoughtful and provocative, inviting readers to examine their own beliefs rather than adopt his.
Perhaps the most powerful element of the book is its meditation on legacy. Through the loss of friends, the passage of time, and the inevitability of death, Haas asks what remains when a life ends. What stories are told? Who shows up? What objects, memories, or music survive us? These questions give the memoir its emotional gravity and linger long after the final page.
Twice Saved by Death is not a story of triumph in the traditional sense. It is a story of persistence, of standing back up, again and again, and choosing to continue. It will resonate with readers who appreciate honest memoirs, reflective life writing, and stories that embrace imperfection. The author reminds us that redemption is not about erasing the past but understanding it, and that sometimes, surviving is the bravest act of all. Through his journey, Haas shows that true strength lies in facing one’s vulnerabilities and embracing life’s uncertainties. His narrative is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit, offering hope to anyone struggling to find meaning in their own challenges.
