Pre-Conference Athenian Dialogue: “My Next Breath” by Jeremy Renner

VMCA Annual Conference
Pre-Conference Athenian Dialogue
“My Next Breath” by Jeremy Renner
April 15, 2026

In My Next Breath, Jeremy Renner recounts his near-fatal accident in January 2023 and the long, painful recovery that followed, marked by multiple surgeries and months of rehabilitation. More than a story of survival, the memoir is a reflection on resilience, humility, and the discipline of focusing on what can be controlled—sometimes one breath at a time. Renner’s journey illustrates how perseverance, patience, and mental resolve can transform overwhelming adversity into purposeful forward movement.

While municipal clerks do not face physical trials of this magnitude, the leadership lessons translate clearly to public service. Clerks routinely manage high expectations, complex regulations, tight deadlines, public scrutiny, and competing priorities. Like Renner’s recovery, the work requires steadiness under pressure, adaptability in the face of change, and the resilience to keep moving forward when challenges feel relentless. My Next Breath reminds clerks that leadership is not always about dramatic moments, but about consistency, endurance, and showing up each day with professionalism, integrity, and quiet strength—building trust and progress one deliberate step at a time.