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Rise: A Soldier, a Dream, and a Promise Kept
The “harrowing, heartbreaking, redemptive” memoir of a US Army veteran who fought through PTSD to play college football with the Clemson Tigers (Sports Illustrated). Daniel Rodriguez joined the army just weeks after graduating from high school. Almost immediately, he was deployed to Iraq and then to Afghanistan. While there, he made a promise to his best “When I get out of this shithole, I’m going to play college football.” Wounded at the Battle of Kamdesh, Daniel received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. He was lucky enough to make it out alive; his friend was not. Back at home, Daniel was unemployed and stuck in the clutches of PTSD, but he remembered the promise he had made and resolved to make good on it. When he posted a video online of his grueling training efforts, it went viral overnight. Through a mixture of hope, determination, and the power of the Internet, Daniel earned a spot on the Clemson University football team as a wide receiver. In Rise, Rodriguez tells his powerful and inspiring story. “A compelling story of one man’s quest to overcome the horrors of war through fortitude and determination.” —San Antonio Express News
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
16 people are currently reading
327 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
November 4, 2014
As much, if not more, a war autobiography as a football story
I went into this book thinking it was Daniel Rodriguez's story about getting onto the Clemson football team. I didn't realize it was one of the best memoirs about the Iraq-Afghanistan wars out there.
Rodriguez writes with painful honesty about his time in the Army. It's an enlightening look at what is actually happening in these countries. The battle scenes from the Battle of Kamdesh are vivid, gut wrenching and among the best at describing the horrors of war that I've read.
Rodriguez doesn't sugar coat any of his experiences, including the PTSD and despair he suffered once he got back to the U.S.
And he also lets the reader come along for his joyful, fulfilling ride as he makes the Clemson team plus makes his dreams of attending/graduating college come true.
I have the utmost respect for our members in the Armed Forces and I thank Rodriguez for his service, his honesty, and am so thankful he made it home to follow his dream.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I went into this book thinking it was Daniel Rodriguez's story about getting onto the Clemson football team. I didn't realize it was one of the best memoirs about the Iraq-Afghanistan wars out there.
Rodriguez writes with painful honesty about his time in the Army. It's an enlightening look at what is actually happening in these countries. The battle scenes from the Battle of Kamdesh are vivid, gut wrenching and among the best at describing the horrors of war that I've read.
Rodriguez doesn't sugar coat any of his experiences, including the PTSD and despair he suffered once he got back to the U.S.
And he also lets the reader come along for his joyful, fulfilling ride as he makes the Clemson team plus makes his dreams of attending/graduating college come true.
I have the utmost respect for our members in the Armed Forces and I thank Rodriguez for his service, his honesty, and am so thankful he made it home to follow his dream.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
October 30, 2015
Rise: A Soldier, a Dream and a Promise Kept is memoir of the young and inspiring Daniel Rodriquez, the Army soldier decorated for bravery and wound in action and later football player at Clemson University. I first became aware of Rodriquez story a couple of years ago, when I saw his training video that he used to promote himself to college football players. I was later happy to learn he had decided to accept the offer of the Clemson coaches to play wide receiver, a team that I have been a fan of for years.
As a memoir, ghostwritten, of a dedicated youth, with determination to rise above his circumstances, be faithful to his fellow soldiers in a difficult battle in Afghanistan, and later rise above his smaller stature and physique to play major college football, this is wonderful story for all ages to inspire. People can be inspired to be dedicated to causes greater than themselves, to be faithful to those they have sworn to protect and be in comradeship with, and the guile and fortitude to move on and tackle other dreams. As a book, Rodriquez and his ghostwriter, have taken the narrative, and fleshed it out into a story that draws the reader in, and is beyond a simple retelling of events.
This book would be ideal for young men particularly, who could see an accessible young man, who did extraordinary things, with the skills he had, the type of people he was in teams with and the importance of working on things bigger than themselves. This is a highly recommended book.
As a memoir, ghostwritten, of a dedicated youth, with determination to rise above his circumstances, be faithful to his fellow soldiers in a difficult battle in Afghanistan, and later rise above his smaller stature and physique to play major college football, this is wonderful story for all ages to inspire. People can be inspired to be dedicated to causes greater than themselves, to be faithful to those they have sworn to protect and be in comradeship with, and the guile and fortitude to move on and tackle other dreams. As a book, Rodriquez and his ghostwriter, have taken the narrative, and fleshed it out into a story that draws the reader in, and is beyond a simple retelling of events.
This book would be ideal for young men particularly, who could see an accessible young man, who did extraordinary things, with the skills he had, the type of people he was in teams with and the importance of working on things bigger than themselves. This is a highly recommended book.
November 12, 2019
What an amazing story. From a low of being a goof-off in High School; to learning discipline and honor in the military; to working on being a member of the Clemson football team.
It was so great to learn how DRod overcame all his adversity to become the great man that he is now.
ABSOLUTELY read this book. You will not regret it.
It was so great to learn how DRod overcame all his adversity to become the great man that he is now.
ABSOLUTELY read this book. You will not regret it.
June 23, 2016
Amazing to read about what this young man went through while fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. I had heard of his story as he entered Clemson at the same time as my daughter, but the book tells so much more depth than I'd heard. Daniel's background makes the story even that much more interesting, to see how far he came. Though there is a lot of profanity, I realize that the background he comes from lends to that. I especially love that when he was at his very lowest, he remembered his promises he had made and went above and beyond to fulfill them.
March 5, 2015
This is one of the best books I've read so far this year. It's a lot more about his journey that lead him to Clemson than his time there. The narration around the military service makes it easy for a non-military person to understand what is going on and get a glimpse of the emotions attached to it. Also, working in academics, I appreciated his honesty of his attitude in high school, as well as his struggle/adjustment when he went to college.
November 24, 2014
Clemson family!
March 1, 2021
To be honest, I only purchased this book because the subject of the book played football. But after reading the book, there was soooooooo much more to him than being a wide receiver at Clemson University.
Inside this book you will find the story of a man who underachieved in high school in the classroom and on the gridiron, but who then pulled himself together when he went to school at Germanna Community College. And also within this book, you will see how he dealt with life as a soldier in his tours within the War on Terror in the Middle East.
It's kind of messed up that his collegiate playing career preceded the Clemson's Tigers' National Championship run from 2015 to 2016 (his career ended at Clemson in 2014). Because with all his hard work in the Army and on the football field at Clemson, it would have been nice to see him bask in the success of that period in Tiger history. But it wasn't to be.
This book was more about Rodriguez's military career than anything else. So don't expect to read a heck of a lot about his personal life or his playing career at Clemson.
But in essence, this was an inspirational book and a life lesson on how it's never too late to change your life for the better.
Inside this book you will find the story of a man who underachieved in high school in the classroom and on the gridiron, but who then pulled himself together when he went to school at Germanna Community College. And also within this book, you will see how he dealt with life as a soldier in his tours within the War on Terror in the Middle East.
It's kind of messed up that his collegiate playing career preceded the Clemson's Tigers' National Championship run from 2015 to 2016 (his career ended at Clemson in 2014). Because with all his hard work in the Army and on the football field at Clemson, it would have been nice to see him bask in the success of that period in Tiger history. But it wasn't to be.
This book was more about Rodriguez's military career than anything else. So don't expect to read a heck of a lot about his personal life or his playing career at Clemson.
But in essence, this was an inspirational book and a life lesson on how it's never too late to change your life for the better.
September 23, 2021
I didn’t think I was going to like this book after the first few chapters. I’m so glad I continued because it got better and better as Rodriguez leaves behind his high school years and begins to share about his time in Afghanistan with the Army. The bulk of his memoir is about his time in the military. He shares his experiences in great detail from a very raw and honest POV that does not romanticize war in any way. His detailed description of the Battle of Kamdesh was horrifying and yet I could not help feeling like it was important for me to read and understand what happened that day.
In truth, I don’t have a lot of interest in football in general or Clemson specifically. I did find it a little more difficult to engage in the football part of his story, but that is not a reflection on the writing. I still really enjoyed reading about how he was able to work through his PTSD and transition back into a civilian life, and his football career at Clemson eventually became an important part of that process. I would definitely recommend this book whether you are a football fan or not - especially if you know someone who is or has served in combat in the military.
In truth, I don’t have a lot of interest in football in general or Clemson specifically. I did find it a little more difficult to engage in the football part of his story, but that is not a reflection on the writing. I still really enjoyed reading about how he was able to work through his PTSD and transition back into a civilian life, and his football career at Clemson eventually became an important part of that process. I would definitely recommend this book whether you are a football fan or not - especially if you know someone who is or has served in combat in the military.
October 29, 2017
Daniel Rodriguez is a teen that always wanted to play football. He loves to watch sports and is very athletic.He is faced with his parents divorcing and causing him to go through a depression. His father would later die and he decided he would go to the Military. The Main problem would be if he would ever make it out alive to be able to do college football. He is set to be in Afghanistan and Iraq, Daniel tries out for the Clemson tigers but is hit with a tragic injury.
Daniel has to go through tough times while in the military such as seeing his friends die in a combat and with the living conditions. He even goes out his to sell contraband and earn a couple grand. Daniel has had a tough life from his dad dying to going into the military and survives. What would you do if you had no one to help you in your life?
Daniel has to go through tough times while in the military such as seeing his friends die in a combat and with the living conditions. He even goes out his to sell contraband and earn a couple grand. Daniel has had a tough life from his dad dying to going into the military and survives. What would you do if you had no one to help you in your life?
January 27, 2021
Before reading this book, I was generally aware of Daniel’s status as a veteran and Purple Heart recipient before coming to Clemson, but that was the extent of it. After reading “Rise”, I am not only more familiar with his story, but even more impressed. His progression from high school pothead to Iraq/Afghanistan survivor to Division I student-athlete is nothing short of amazing. The book, written from Daniel’s first-person point of view, is easy to read, organized well, reflective of the author’s personality, and doesn’t hold back from pain, fear, or motivation. I felt a special connection as a Clemson student while Daniel was on the football team, but anyone will find something to connect with in this story.
July 4, 2021
Daniel Rodriguez had already spent time in Iraq when he redeployed with "Red Platoon" to Combat Outpost Keating in the remote Hindu Kush near the Pakistani border.
Rodriguez and cohort were to execute the "decommissioning" of COP Keating (the story fully documented in Clint Romesha's 'Red Platoon'), an outpost that never should have been established give the location's massive strategic and tactical issues.
Rodriguez survived his time at Keating and later walked-on at Clemson University and earned a roster spot. Needless to say, the "hell weeks" that D1 football programs institute pale in comparison to the "hell on earth" Rodriguez and crew experienced in Afghanistan.
A compelling read.
Rodriguez and cohort were to execute the "decommissioning" of COP Keating (the story fully documented in Clint Romesha's 'Red Platoon'), an outpost that never should have been established give the location's massive strategic and tactical issues.
Rodriguez survived his time at Keating and later walked-on at Clemson University and earned a roster spot. Needless to say, the "hell weeks" that D1 football programs institute pale in comparison to the "hell on earth" Rodriguez and crew experienced in Afghanistan.
A compelling read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2021
A little cocky, but a real account of survival. I do not cry when listening to audio books.... that usually only happens when I watch sappy movies. But this listen was something else. It was personally touching to me. I've been through my own hell. I know what PTSD is because I suffer from it too. Just hope this guy finds a genuine way to move forward that honors his past, friends lost and the true power of the human spirit.
June 14, 2025
This is a great perspective on what it means being in the military, the multitude of shit that comes from serving time in a combat zone, and the inevitable struggle after. The details aren't a story for the faint of heart, but his drive for success can be a beacon for anyone who understands that to get what you want, you have to do the work.
October 8, 2022
Great Story, worth the read!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author bares his soul like is rarely seen these days. I truly appreciated the open and honest way he told his story. Thanks for your service!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author bares his soul like is rarely seen these days. I truly appreciated the open and honest way he told his story. Thanks for your service!
January 30, 2021
Amazing read! Shows how much our troops go through that we don't have a clue about. Love it!
June 18, 2021
This book is well written, and the narrator also did an excellent job. A wayward kid goes to war to find purpose in life.
September 29, 2023
Fantastic book. I listened to the audiobook while driving. So riveting. A real amazing life story. Highly recommend this book.
January 11, 2026
Kinda gung-ho but good 👍🏼
June 26, 2021
A real page turner. Compelling and interesting when Rodriguez is writing about his experiences in the military, his incredible tale of living through the battle that was depicted in the book & the movie THE OUTPOST (by Jake Tapper). Rodriguez plays himself in The Outpost.
I've read a number of books about this particular battle; in Afghanistan. A forward operating base STUPIDLY built at the BOTTOM of a valley, surrounded by 12,000' STEEP mountains that were infested with the Taliban. Life on FOB involved daily mortar attacks. Intelligence is ignored and eventually about 1000 Taliban, battle-hardened terrorists attack the FOB with only about 55 American troops, & their (useless) Afghani soldiers, to defend it. They were overrun by the Taliban & Daniel was eventually award a medal for valor.
The rest of the book is about his quest to play college football for Clemson. It's not a subject that interested me, but I finished the book. So, 4 stars for the warrior's story & 2 stars for his football dreams.
I've read a number of books about this particular battle; in Afghanistan. A forward operating base STUPIDLY built at the BOTTOM of a valley, surrounded by 12,000' STEEP mountains that were infested with the Taliban. Life on FOB involved daily mortar attacks. Intelligence is ignored and eventually about 1000 Taliban, battle-hardened terrorists attack the FOB with only about 55 American troops, & their (useless) Afghani soldiers, to defend it. They were overrun by the Taliban & Daniel was eventually award a medal for valor.
The rest of the book is about his quest to play college football for Clemson. It's not a subject that interested me, but I finished the book. So, 4 stars for the warrior's story & 2 stars for his football dreams.
February 15, 2015
As a Clemson alumnus and diehard football fan, I've long known about the major bullet points in Daniel Rodriguez's journey - an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, the recruiting video, the Military Appreciation Day flag bearer, and the underdog fan-favorite status on the football team.
In addition to the in-depth details of all of the above, the book does a great job of walking through the life decisions Daniel has had to make that led him to his current lot in life. I was frustrated with him at the beginning of the book. I admired him through his wartime endeavors. I was proud of him for who he has become after returning home. It's also great to seem him continue to live up to his own high expectations after the book's events, having recently completed his degree, as well as just being named to his second consecutive All-ACC Academic Team.
However, the book is not without its faults. The writing style seemed to mirror Daniel's maturity level during each portion of the story - it starts sloppy and careless through the high school years and eventually turns into a much more polished, focused, concise read after the return from Afghanistan and the years later. Also, the constant misspelling of "Taj" Boyd's name seems lazy (from both an editor and author's standpoint), given how much respect Daniel seems to give him. From a purely technical standpoint, there was plenty of room for improvement.
With that said, Daniel's story is an amazing one and incredibly inspiring. A must read, especially for any Tiger fans out there.
In addition to the in-depth details of all of the above, the book does a great job of walking through the life decisions Daniel has had to make that led him to his current lot in life. I was frustrated with him at the beginning of the book. I admired him through his wartime endeavors. I was proud of him for who he has become after returning home. It's also great to seem him continue to live up to his own high expectations after the book's events, having recently completed his degree, as well as just being named to his second consecutive All-ACC Academic Team.
However, the book is not without its faults. The writing style seemed to mirror Daniel's maturity level during each portion of the story - it starts sloppy and careless through the high school years and eventually turns into a much more polished, focused, concise read after the return from Afghanistan and the years later. Also, the constant misspelling of "Taj" Boyd's name seems lazy (from both an editor and author's standpoint), given how much respect Daniel seems to give him. From a purely technical standpoint, there was plenty of room for improvement.
With that said, Daniel's story is an amazing one and incredibly inspiring. A must read, especially for any Tiger fans out there.
February 13, 2015
D-Rod and Layden do an excellent job relating the roller coaster life of this young man. It's refreshing hearing Daniel own his mistakes as just that. . . mistakes, regrets. It's terrifying to read about the combat experiences of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's no wonder our troops are coming home physically and emotionally scarred. Again, D-Rod gives us an unflinching look at his own scars, and admits his weaknesses in dealing with his war-demons. I even appreciate his honest assessment of his football career at Clemson, and his honest opinions on his disappointing lack of more playing time. By the way, congrats to Daniel for being named to the ACC All-Academic Football team in this his Senior year. You need to read this book before the movie comes out. (Tigers' head coach, Dabo Swinney, tongue-in-cheek, wants Matthew McConaughey to play him in the movie. If it happens, you heard it here first. . . unless you've been hanging around Tigertown.)
September 24, 2014
Rodriguez is very candid about his lackluster high school academic career and drug use that led him to sign up for the infantry even though his father had told him that if he enlisted don't sign up for the infantry. His is also an insider's view of the campaign in Iraq and the Combat Outpost Keating Disaster with the toll it took on the day of the disaster and on those who survived it. His explanation of why soldiers don't admit that they've been messed up and PTSD were put in a very readable fashion for those of us who don't have someone in the military. There is some coarse language but it's in context, not included for shock value. He came so close to losing it all and now he's kept his promise to his best friend and rising above his past trauma. Good for you, thank you for this book and your service!
December 14, 2015
Daniel’s life throughout high school is very relatable to most people in this generation, very laid back and careless but then life hits you and you get knocked down and don’t know what to do. Most cases people would just give up but Daniel found his inspiration and kept fighting, finding his way out of the darkness of depression and PTSD not letting himself be a statistic. Daniel barely made it out of war and was not going to let his best friend die in vain going back to school getting a 3.5 GPA to his previous 1.9 in high school. This inspiring book shows that everybody has potential, that the mood sets the tone for yourself and what you want to accomplish.
October 8, 2014
Really enjoyed the book.
Once I started the book, I could not put it down. Being a Clemson fan, and attending games, I know the excitement and thrill of seeing the team run down the hill. The fans at Clemson and the University are honored to have him as a student and a member of the team.
What he did to get there is even better. Not fond of some of the language but sure in the real world, it is worse.
Once I started the book, I could not put it down. Being a Clemson fan, and attending games, I know the excitement and thrill of seeing the team run down the hill. The fans at Clemson and the University are honored to have him as a student and a member of the team.
What he did to get there is even better. Not fond of some of the language but sure in the real world, it is worse.
September 16, 2016
I have a lot of military relatives. Therefore I always was surrounded by military personal and this book brought back that feeling of being surrounded by soldiers. I like how this book tells the truth about his life it didn't hold anything back, it told the 100% truth. There was one problem with some of the stories lacked detail what i mean by that was that it didn't answer the obvious questions the reader would have. This book was pretty good overall and i would recommend you to read it.
March 2, 2017
It's a five star for me because I love memoirs and sports. I didn't know Daniel's story at all other than what was on the book jacket. I enjoyed reading the story as it unfolded. Daniel seems like a decent guy. Well advanced in the areas of perseverance and commitment to doing everything in his power to reach his goals. I enjoyed his honesty and how much he shared about his low points as well as high points. Good on you Daniel!
June 2, 2016
I greatly enjoyed this book. As the wife, daughter and granddaughter of soldiers, one of which suffers from PTSD, this was a very heart wrenching story for me. This book is an amazingly written story of Daniel's life and learning and growth from the carefree young man to the mature man with dreams and a goal. I would definitely recommend to anything wanting to read an inspirational book.
January 3, 2015
I really liked this book and Daniel's story of survival and his will to succeed and achieve his dream. He is blunt and direct but not overly descriptive of the battle scenes.
November 16, 2014
Fantastic. So very proud of this young man. Go Clemson Tigers for giving him a chance.
November 17, 2014
Terrific story about an amazing young man. You laugh and cry with him as he shares his story so selflessly and honestly.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews