Leslie is living as a single parent with her daughter. She has a beautiful relationship with her boyfriend, close friends, and immediate aunt. Leslie did not really need her mother because she had her aunt. Leslie was enjoying her little world until she found out that she had stage three cancer. Leslie's life spiraled down into depression after this discovery. Thomas R. Carter tells the story of Leslie's struggles and the impact of her loved ones around her through "Surviving The Storm". It gives an insight into how to face depression and handle relationships when suffering from any sort of ailment in life. Illnesses hold the ability to turn people's lives around, and Leslie did not know whether hers was going to turn around for better or for worse. People often talk about the calm before the storm, but Leslie's storm arrived without a warning. She wanted to know what awaited her after surviving the storm – for the price of perishing before it would be heavier than ever.