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Carry On: A Story of Resilience, Redemption, and an Unlikely Family
In the spirit of The Blind Side and Friday Night Lights comes a tender and profoundly moving memoir about an ESPN producer’s unexpected relationship with two disabled African-American wrestlers from inner-city Cleveland, and how these bonds—blossoming, ultimately, into a most unorthodox family—would transform their lives.
When award-winning ESPN producer Lisa Fenn returned to her hometown for a story about two wrestlers at one of Cleveland’s toughest public high schools, she had no idea that the trip would change her life. Both young men were disadvantaged students with significant physical disabilities. Dartanyon Crockett, the team’s best wrestler, was legally blind as a result of Leber’s disease; Leroy Sutton lost both his legs at eleven, when he was run over by a train. Brought together by wrestling, they had developed a brother-like bond as they worked to overcome their disabilities.
In their time developing the segment together, Fenn formed a profound connection with Dartanyon and Leroy. After earning their trust and their love, she realized she couldn’t just walk away when filming ended. These boys had had to overcome the odds too many times. Instead, Fenn dedicated herself to ensuring their success long after the reporting wqs finished and the story aired—and an unlikely family of three was formed.
The years ahead would be fraught with complex challenges, but Fenn stayed with the boys every step of the way—teaching them essential life skills, helping them heal old wounds and traumatic pasts, and providing the first steady and consistent support system they’d ever had.
This powerful memoir is one of love, hope, faith, and strength—a story about an unusual family and the courage to carry on, even in the most extraordinary circumstances.
When award-winning ESPN producer Lisa Fenn returned to her hometown for a story about two wrestlers at one of Cleveland’s toughest public high schools, she had no idea that the trip would change her life. Both young men were disadvantaged students with significant physical disabilities. Dartanyon Crockett, the team’s best wrestler, was legally blind as a result of Leber’s disease; Leroy Sutton lost both his legs at eleven, when he was run over by a train. Brought together by wrestling, they had developed a brother-like bond as they worked to overcome their disabilities.
In their time developing the segment together, Fenn formed a profound connection with Dartanyon and Leroy. After earning their trust and their love, she realized she couldn’t just walk away when filming ended. These boys had had to overcome the odds too many times. Instead, Fenn dedicated herself to ensuring their success long after the reporting wqs finished and the story aired—and an unlikely family of three was formed.
The years ahead would be fraught with complex challenges, but Fenn stayed with the boys every step of the way—teaching them essential life skills, helping them heal old wounds and traumatic pasts, and providing the first steady and consistent support system they’d ever had.
This powerful memoir is one of love, hope, faith, and strength—a story about an unusual family and the courage to carry on, even in the most extraordinary circumstances.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 16, 2016
89 people are currently reading
1456 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Fenn
4 books13 followersLisa Fenn's feature work at ESPN earned three Edward R. Murrow Awards and six Emmy Awards over thirteen years. Today she is a sought-after public presenter, speaking on leadership, poverty, disability and adoption, in addition to her faith and its relevance in both her media career and her daily life. Lisa received her BS in communications from Cornell University. Her work has been featured on ESPN, Good Morning America, and ABC World News Tonight. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Lisa now resides in Boston, Massachusetts. CARRY ON is her first book.
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaMFenn/
Book Website: https://www.carryonbook.com
Speaking Inquiries: https://www.caaspeakers.com/lisa-fenn/
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaMFenn/
Book Website: https://www.carryonbook.com
Speaking Inquiries: https://www.caaspeakers.com/lisa-fenn/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
August 24, 2016
Every once in a while, I read a book that affects me so deeply, when I finish the book I feel the need to run and tell everyone I see "You must read this book!" Lisa Fenn's Carry On is one such book.
Fenn grew up in Cleveland, and became a producer for ESPN. On a visit home, her father showed her a newspaper story about two high school wrestlers from a high school in a poor section of the city. One of the young men was blind, the other had lost his legs in a tragic train accident.
She became intrigued, and convinced her boss at ESPN to film a short documentary piece on the young men by giving him a visual- "The one who cannot walk being carried by the one who cannot see." What came out of that piece changed Fenn's life forever.
Fenn got to know the young men- Dartanyon, a big guy who got shuffled from place to place, who always carried a duffel bag of his belongings with him because he didn't know where he would be sleeping that night, and Leroy, who lost his legs in a train accident when he was eleven and was living with his grandmother.
Both young men grew up in poverty in addition to their physical challenges. They became best friends. Dartanyon would literally carry Leroy on his back into wrestling matches, and he would frequently be found at Leroy's grandmother's home where he got a decent meal.
Their bond was unbreakable, and it took Fenn a long time to break through the defenses they had to get them to open up to her. They were suspicious of Fenn, of her motives for doing the documentary. She spent many hours watching them play video games in Leroy's grandmother's basement, eventually gaining their trust.
The resulting documentary was so moving that many viewers responded by asking how they could help these courageous young men. Fenn helped set up a fund for the young men to get them into colleges, a dream they couldn't even begin to comprehend.
She found people willing to help and through sheer force of will she got them to take the SATs and both of them were able to go to college. But Dartanyon and Leroy were completely unprepared for college life, and it became Fenn's full-time job to keep these guys on track.
Carry On is a book that looks at the bigger problem of race, privilege, class and poverty through the prism of these two young men. For everyone who says, why can't people just pull themselves up by their bootstraps and succeed, the complications of that type of thinking is in here.
Fenn is a woman of faith, and I enjoyed that aspect of the book. She believed that she couldn't just walk away from these young men, that she could make a difference even when most people would give up.
Carry On will appeal to anyone who loves a good story about sports and the difference we can make in other people's lives. I cried throughout the book several times, and it reminded me of Jeff Hobbs' brilliant book, The Life and Tragic Death of Robert Peace. Both books do a fantastic job of showing us a way of life most of us are unfamiliar with.
If you are the kind of person who only reads one book a year, make it Carry On. I would love to see this become a book read in high schools, colleges and in city reads program. It is the best non-fiction book I have read this year, hands-down.
Fenn grew up in Cleveland, and became a producer for ESPN. On a visit home, her father showed her a newspaper story about two high school wrestlers from a high school in a poor section of the city. One of the young men was blind, the other had lost his legs in a tragic train accident.
She became intrigued, and convinced her boss at ESPN to film a short documentary piece on the young men by giving him a visual- "The one who cannot walk being carried by the one who cannot see." What came out of that piece changed Fenn's life forever.
Fenn got to know the young men- Dartanyon, a big guy who got shuffled from place to place, who always carried a duffel bag of his belongings with him because he didn't know where he would be sleeping that night, and Leroy, who lost his legs in a train accident when he was eleven and was living with his grandmother.
Both young men grew up in poverty in addition to their physical challenges. They became best friends. Dartanyon would literally carry Leroy on his back into wrestling matches, and he would frequently be found at Leroy's grandmother's home where he got a decent meal.
Their bond was unbreakable, and it took Fenn a long time to break through the defenses they had to get them to open up to her. They were suspicious of Fenn, of her motives for doing the documentary. She spent many hours watching them play video games in Leroy's grandmother's basement, eventually gaining their trust.
The resulting documentary was so moving that many viewers responded by asking how they could help these courageous young men. Fenn helped set up a fund for the young men to get them into colleges, a dream they couldn't even begin to comprehend.
She found people willing to help and through sheer force of will she got them to take the SATs and both of them were able to go to college. But Dartanyon and Leroy were completely unprepared for college life, and it became Fenn's full-time job to keep these guys on track.
Carry On is a book that looks at the bigger problem of race, privilege, class and poverty through the prism of these two young men. For everyone who says, why can't people just pull themselves up by their bootstraps and succeed, the complications of that type of thinking is in here.
Fenn is a woman of faith, and I enjoyed that aspect of the book. She believed that she couldn't just walk away from these young men, that she could make a difference even when most people would give up.
Carry On will appeal to anyone who loves a good story about sports and the difference we can make in other people's lives. I cried throughout the book several times, and it reminded me of Jeff Hobbs' brilliant book, The Life and Tragic Death of Robert Peace. Both books do a fantastic job of showing us a way of life most of us are unfamiliar with.
If you are the kind of person who only reads one book a year, make it Carry On. I would love to see this become a book read in high schools, colleges and in city reads program. It is the best non-fiction book I have read this year, hands-down.
October 4, 2021
This story is incredible. But what an amazing story always needs is a worthy storyteller. Lisa is that and much much more. She is the reason the boys in this book have a story that has been told. And not only that, her writing is so vivid that many times while reading this book I had to catch myself from telling my friends, "Hey, I just watched a really great movie last night" realizing I had only been reading.
I recommend this book to everyone. Regardless of who you are or where you come from, whether you love sports or wouldn't know the difference between wrestling and golf, the genuine hopefulness for restoration and reconciliation found on every page is enough to spark hope in your own heart- maybe even share it with someone else.
I recommend this book to everyone. Regardless of who you are or where you come from, whether you love sports or wouldn't know the difference between wrestling and golf, the genuine hopefulness for restoration and reconciliation found on every page is enough to spark hope in your own heart- maybe even share it with someone else.
September 16, 2017
When my principal told us that she purchased this book for our entire staff to read, I was a little disappointed. Even though my husband is a high school wrestling coach, I do not like sports at all...not even a little bit. The only sports I've ever willingly watched in my lifetime are those that my children were involved in. Needless to say, the prospect of reading a book written by a former ESPN producer about two disabled high school athletes was not something I relished. However, I'm always up for expanding my reading horizons, so I resolved to approach it with an open mind.
I'm so glad that I gave it a chance, because this was one of the most touching and inspirational books I've ever read! This book made me reconsider and reassess my role in my students' lives and my assumptions about their families and cultures. It encouraged me to see the broader picture, outside the lens of my own experience and biases. After reading this book, my faith in humanity has been restored and renewed, and my purpose as an educator has broadened in spectrum. Everyone needs to read this amazing story!
I'm so glad that I gave it a chance, because this was one of the most touching and inspirational books I've ever read! This book made me reconsider and reassess my role in my students' lives and my assumptions about their families and cultures. It encouraged me to see the broader picture, outside the lens of my own experience and biases. After reading this book, my faith in humanity has been restored and renewed, and my purpose as an educator has broadened in spectrum. Everyone needs to read this amazing story!
August 8, 2016
This will almost certainly be the best book I read this year. I knew Lisa peripherally during her time at ESPN (I think she worked on one project on which I was involved) but saw many of her features on SportsCenter and realized she was a great storyteller. This book tells the best story of them all, and it's an interesting one in that the journalist originally documenting the story, becomes part of the story.
Carry On is the story of the intersection of the lives of two high school wrestlers living in poverty, one almost completely blind, one legless due to a tragic accident, and Lisa, a TV producer. It's cliche to say it's a story about the human spirit, but it is. It's about kindness, not giving up, and the meaning of family. It's a story that will make you laugh and make you cry (this might be the first book about which I'd say that). It's a story that gets better and better as it goes along. Some may compare it to The Blind Side, but I think it's more interesting and more compelling (not that there needs to be a competition between them).
This is one that's highly worth reading ... and don't be surprised if it's a movie in a few years too.
Carry On is the story of the intersection of the lives of two high school wrestlers living in poverty, one almost completely blind, one legless due to a tragic accident, and Lisa, a TV producer. It's cliche to say it's a story about the human spirit, but it is. It's about kindness, not giving up, and the meaning of family. It's a story that will make you laugh and make you cry (this might be the first book about which I'd say that). It's a story that gets better and better as it goes along. Some may compare it to The Blind Side, but I think it's more interesting and more compelling (not that there needs to be a competition between them).
This is one that's highly worth reading ... and don't be surprised if it's a movie in a few years too.
July 6, 2020
This book has a strong Christian theme and our family is not Christian. (I feel this is important to understand while reading my review as it may influence my perspective) I read it due to my daughter’s public school summer reading. I love the idea of a book that teaches about poverty with disabilities and minorities but this one was not a book I felt did it well. It was way too long. It was way to Christian for a pubic school required reading. And I found it way too slow. Although it went over acceptance and understanding of others I felt it was very forced. I would have loved to read a book about the same situation written in a different format or from multiple perspectives. I feel the author did a wonderful thing for those boys with the help and support of many. I see the other themes and feel this book could help some understand more about poverty, disabilities, and Christian faith. Yet, still not a book I would recommend to many other readers due to the fact that although a theme is acceptance I feel acceptance of others beliefs and religions is completely ignored. Better book for a private school which teaches through Christianity without acknowledging other faiths. (Although that is a sad but honest thought.)
July 31, 2018
I’m not generally an emotional person, but this book touched me so deeply that I cried nearly every chapter. I highly encourage anyone who has a heart to read this book. I had a slow start with it being focused on 2 wrestlers, since I’m not really a sports person, but I quickly realized that had very little to do with what Carry On is actually about. Get ready to be touched, inspired, and wanting to rise up and do something with what you have been given.
September 12, 2019
If this book doesn't move you, you might want to check your pulse. I don't believe I've shed so many tears over a book before this one, and for so many reasons. There is tragedy, comedy and triumph. It has all the makings of an unforgettable sports story but sports is merely a vehicle to tell this story.
It begins in Cleveland (and how I didn't know about this story sooner is beyond me), when Lisa Fenn's father sees an article in the local newspaper, The Plain Dealer, about two wrestlers at Lincoln West High School, and calls Lisa, who works at ESPN as a feature writer. The wrestler who is legally blind, Dartanyon Crockett, carries the wrestler with no legs, Leroy Sutton, before every wrestling match and they stand together during the National Anthem. Dartanyon and Leroy both come from poverty-stricken homes who endured what seems like endless tragedy in their short lives. Both struggled with homelessness, hunger, and family instability.
Lisa Fenn doesn't know what to expect when she arrives, but talks to the athletes about wrestling. Dartanyon is forthcoming, but Leroy is closed and refuses to talk to her. She persists and eventually gets him to open up about his feelings and his experiences, including the trauma of having his legs severed by a train while walking to school one day.
This is an unbelievable true story about perseverance, empathy, and the human will to overcome. It also explores non-traditional families and how this story has inspired others to become better versions of themselves. I loved this book so much! Make sure you have tissues nearby.
It begins in Cleveland (and how I didn't know about this story sooner is beyond me), when Lisa Fenn's father sees an article in the local newspaper, The Plain Dealer, about two wrestlers at Lincoln West High School, and calls Lisa, who works at ESPN as a feature writer. The wrestler who is legally blind, Dartanyon Crockett, carries the wrestler with no legs, Leroy Sutton, before every wrestling match and they stand together during the National Anthem. Dartanyon and Leroy both come from poverty-stricken homes who endured what seems like endless tragedy in their short lives. Both struggled with homelessness, hunger, and family instability.
Lisa Fenn doesn't know what to expect when she arrives, but talks to the athletes about wrestling. Dartanyon is forthcoming, but Leroy is closed and refuses to talk to her. She persists and eventually gets him to open up about his feelings and his experiences, including the trauma of having his legs severed by a train while walking to school one day.
This is an unbelievable true story about perseverance, empathy, and the human will to overcome. It also explores non-traditional families and how this story has inspired others to become better versions of themselves. I loved this book so much! Make sure you have tissues nearby.
February 27, 2020
Lisa Fenn's Carry On is a wonderful, moving book that tells the true story of two young men who show resiliency, respect, love of sport, and love of each other. Fenn, a journalist for ESPN grew up in Cleveland. Her father brought to her attention the story of these two high school wrestlers. Both are disabled -- one blind and the other lost his legs in a train accident as a boy. They are poor. In fact, the boys must share used shoes because they cannot afford them.
And yet, they wrestle. And more than that, the blind boy carries the other on his back -- onto the bus, up the bleachers, and off the mats.
Fenn decides to write a story, but it becomes much more. She cares about these boys and finds ways to help them start creating their futures.
This book spotlights two young men, and does so beautifully. But it also speaks to the problems of class, poverty, racism, and privilege. It is an emotionally charged book, and reminds me of so many other wonderful books and movies about sports.
For me the aspect of the book I liked least was all the discussions of faith and religion. I understand that Fenn is a believer, and that her faith helped her with her battle to assist these young men, but at times it felt like a lecture or judgement. My bias shows here, though. I do not tend to like religion (any religion) in books.
And yet, they wrestle. And more than that, the blind boy carries the other on his back -- onto the bus, up the bleachers, and off the mats.
Fenn decides to write a story, but it becomes much more. She cares about these boys and finds ways to help them start creating their futures.
This book spotlights two young men, and does so beautifully. But it also speaks to the problems of class, poverty, racism, and privilege. It is an emotionally charged book, and reminds me of so many other wonderful books and movies about sports.
For me the aspect of the book I liked least was all the discussions of faith and religion. I understand that Fenn is a believer, and that her faith helped her with her battle to assist these young men, but at times it felt like a lecture or judgement. My bias shows here, though. I do not tend to like religion (any religion) in books.
August 9, 2021
~a book that will surely make you cry~
Lisa Fenn, a reporter for ESPN, recounts a story that turned her life on its head, all starting from hearing about two teenage boys on a high school wrestling team in inner city Cleveland - one of whom was legally blind, and one of whom had no legs from a terrible childhood train accident.
I think what I loved most about this story was the depth of sacrifice and the even greater depth of love on full display. There were so many moments that couldn’t be tied up with a pretty bow, or fixed simply by throwing money at the situation. The dedication here is unreal, and I think I welled up with tears half a dozen times.
A favorite quote from the end:
“There was once a time I believed that blessings were things we possessed —stable jobs, good health, promising opportunities. I believed these were Heaven’s rewards for living well. But now I understand that a blessing has less to do with what we have and everything to do with what we are able to give. I understand that blessings come from being part of a redemptive journey here on earth and allowing God to work out the injustices through us. Blessings come when we walk alongside another to pick up the broken pieces and together restore the beauty.”
Lisa Fenn, a reporter for ESPN, recounts a story that turned her life on its head, all starting from hearing about two teenage boys on a high school wrestling team in inner city Cleveland - one of whom was legally blind, and one of whom had no legs from a terrible childhood train accident.
I think what I loved most about this story was the depth of sacrifice and the even greater depth of love on full display. There were so many moments that couldn’t be tied up with a pretty bow, or fixed simply by throwing money at the situation. The dedication here is unreal, and I think I welled up with tears half a dozen times.
A favorite quote from the end:
“There was once a time I believed that blessings were things we possessed —stable jobs, good health, promising opportunities. I believed these were Heaven’s rewards for living well. But now I understand that a blessing has less to do with what we have and everything to do with what we are able to give. I understand that blessings come from being part of a redemptive journey here on earth and allowing God to work out the injustices through us. Blessings come when we walk alongside another to pick up the broken pieces and together restore the beauty.”
August 6, 2017
Oh I loved this book!! I cried so many times!! Like 5 times before I even got to page 40!!
I came to this book for the wrestling. But this book is so much more. Oh, these boys and their story!
The beautiful prose of the writer, the honesty, the inspiration. Just when it seemed like Fenn was going to get all preachy and trite, she would pivot slightly and turn it into something unique and universal. Lisa's candor about her naivety about poverty is so refreshing and instrumental. She takes a second look at what we often take for granted as normal and makes us see ,with her for maybe the first time,how these things are indeed privilege. Lisa's dedication and unwavering love for these boys despite every obstacle is a true testament to what it really means to be a mother.
Leroy and Dartanyon have been at the forefront of my mind since I started this book a week ago. I've been talking about them at the dinner table, on my front porch and while driving my kids around. It's like they have become a part of my own life.
Rich, devastating, encouraging. Poignant and full of harsh realities. This one has all the chills and thrills.
I came to this book for the wrestling. But this book is so much more. Oh, these boys and their story!
The beautiful prose of the writer, the honesty, the inspiration. Just when it seemed like Fenn was going to get all preachy and trite, she would pivot slightly and turn it into something unique and universal. Lisa's candor about her naivety about poverty is so refreshing and instrumental. She takes a second look at what we often take for granted as normal and makes us see ,with her for maybe the first time,how these things are indeed privilege. Lisa's dedication and unwavering love for these boys despite every obstacle is a true testament to what it really means to be a mother.
Leroy and Dartanyon have been at the forefront of my mind since I started this book a week ago. I've been talking about them at the dinner table, on my front porch and while driving my kids around. It's like they have become a part of my own life.
Rich, devastating, encouraging. Poignant and full of harsh realities. This one has all the chills and thrills.
April 18, 2019
A compelling read. I was not only drawn into the story of the two teens facing incredible disabilities and extreme poverty and dysfunctional families, but learned so much about the cycle of poverty. Really made me think about the skills many take for granted that actually learned and missing for those caught in nearly hopeless situations. Overcoming is to be admired and celebrated.
My daughter-in-law recommended this book. She read this last fall and said it was the most inspiring book she had ever read. Months later she learned that Dartanyan volunteered in the school where she taught. Gracious was the primary description she used after first met him.
My daughter-in-law recommended this book. She read this last fall and said it was the most inspiring book she had ever read. Months later she learned that Dartanyan volunteered in the school where she taught. Gracious was the primary description she used after first met him.
July 22, 2024
Heartwarming, frustrating, inspiring, and heroic. Lisa Fenn not only told a great story, she lived it..better, created it. Her tenacity and loyalty to these young men and their impetus to make her proud was exemplary to what this country needs. Plus, she tethered in lateral support to give these two the tools and means to make forward momentum. Oh, there were numerous setbacks. I lifestyle learned is hard to change from, but she never gave up and she never let them.
February 4, 2019
I loved this book from start to finish, immediately goes on my list of favorite memoirs. I can’t do justice to this story with my words, so I will just beg everyone I know to read it. Fenn moves from reporter to ally to friend to mother to these boys. I listened to the audio and despite her training as a journalist, you can hear her pride, sorrow, joy, and love come through.
March 16, 2018
I wish I could give this book seven stars!
January 1, 2020
I really enjoyed this-beautiful story.
August 19, 2021
This is a beautiful story from beginning to end, clear through the acknowledgments. It is inspiring, enlightening, and insightful. It is a book that will have a lasting impact on how I view the world and those within it that are struggling beyond my understanding. Worth the read!!
May 28, 2022
WONDERFUL
August 16, 2018
Best book I’ve read this year. Couldn’t put it down and thought a lot about it after reading it.
November 1, 2018
It was a little hard for me to get into it because it's a journalistic style, but it is a truly compelling and honest story and peek into their lives. Real people, real lives, real work of change and relationship.
p. 71: Wolverines Prayer: We pray not for easier lives but to be stronger men. Robinson said he experienced God's presence most profoundly when he was with his team. "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them," the scripture from Matthew reads. He spent every practice praying for those kids, and son in his mind, they were congregating in the Lord's name. Robinson didn't bother explaining the message to his boys, and none of them asked. They were just happy to look legit and to have a coach who loved them enough to put shirts on their backs.
p. 94: "I believed that God desires to speak to us in different ways and through various means: dreams and visions, strangers and friends, nature and events, reason and silence. And though I had never heard audible voices, I had discerned God communicating in the form of unexpected thoughts that suddenly apprehended my own, causing me to either change direction or notice something I would not have been drawn to otherwise. These nudges were like taps on the shoulder that whispered, 'Pay attention over here.' I had grown attuned to this soft, small voice beneath the whirlwind of ordinary life, pointing me to look past the surface to the connectedness of our lives. Still, this directive was startlingly specific. It had not occurred to me that Juanita's son needed taking care of, and yet the plea could not have been clearer.
p. 125: And although Leroy acted as though he wanted to be left alone, he had not yet said no to filming with me. As I sat on the floor in Leroy's dungeon, I thought of how the great poet Maya Angelou famously said that there is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you. I thought of Leroy's hospital photos and the tattered black leather relic in the closet. I stopped caring about doing a story and started caring about the broken boy before me. I thought back on Robinson's audacious first words to me and wondered if perhaps I could be part of the solution to this boy's pain, rather than an additional cause. With that, I broke the silence.
p. 143: "You see a level of hopelessness here in kids who by the time they are fifteen or sixteen years old have already given up," Coach Hons explained. "They've seen people in their lives who put in time and energy, but because of how our economy is structured and how our society is structured, they are still in poverty. As much as there is opportunity in America, there is also a limit, and you see the psychological effects of that limit in our students." The image of Dartanyon carrying Leroy suggested that perhaps there were alternatives--choices to combat hopelessness with compassion. These two boys eliminated the right for excuses with their bravery to play on. To those who were taught real men don't need help, Dartanyon and Leroy proved it was possible to be both tender and tough. Perhaps above all, they showed that giving lightens us. "Leroy and Dartanyon give their peers a visual reminder that we're in this together," Coach Taylor said. "I'm on your back, you're on my back--whatever it takes, we can get to teh finish line. Whatever it takes, we can succeed."
p. 241: Leroy: "History is like gravity. It can pull you down. We wanted to succeed, but we needed someone to show us how--someone who believed our potential was more important than our past."
p. 249: When you are in the middle of a story, it isn't a story at all. It's confusion. It's darkness. It's a lingering ache in the gut. It's stabs to the chest. It's a feeling of being swept up in a reckless current with no boat, no life jacket, and no indication of whether you are headed for calmer waters or a deeper abyss. It is only afterward, when we tell someone else these experiences, that it becomes anything like a story at all. We were too far in to start over in a more prepared way, and we were too far from the end goal of self-sufficiency to glimpse light. We were groping our way through dense fog, living beyond our expertise.
p. 280: "Can a child who goes untreated for multiple complex traumas ever go on to thrive," I asked. "There are a lot of factors at play, but what we believe matters most is the nurturing, and particularly the relationship of the mother," Dr Christopher said. "If Leroy's mother had been equipped to properly care for him, you and I probably wouldn't be having this conversation today." Dr Christopher told me that it was difficult to know if the outcomes could be reversed. But he emphasized that caregivers, at any point in one's life, have the greatest influence on a person's sense of self-worth and value. "I'm not aware of any data on it, but common sense suggests that you have a better chance of reversing the effects if you keep trying than if you give up."
p. 285: when you give someone a safe space in which to tell his or her story, when you become a safe person to whom a story can be told, that space births compassion. And with compassion, one's sense of self-worth can be reframed, and goodness can begin to grow.
p. 287: You are never forgotten. You are wholly loved. You are worthy of celebration. This was Leroy's real education--learning to let each person there into his life, receiving love from his newer friends, and making peace with his family.
p. 294: In two years time, I essentially became a mother to four children of different races, ages, and abilities. It is not the family my husband and I planned. In fact, it is far better, far richer, than any we could have imagined. It is a family that reframed my understanding of what it means to be blessed. There was once a time I believed that blessings were things we possessed: stable jobs, good health, promising opportunities. I believed these were heaven's rewards for living well. But I now understand that a blessing has less to do with what we have and everything to do with what we are able to give. I understand that blessings come from being part of a redemptive journey here on earth, in allowing God to work out the injustices through us. Blessings come when we walk alongside another to pick up the broken pieces and together restore the beauty.
p. 71: Wolverines Prayer: We pray not for easier lives but to be stronger men. Robinson said he experienced God's presence most profoundly when he was with his team. "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them," the scripture from Matthew reads. He spent every practice praying for those kids, and son in his mind, they were congregating in the Lord's name. Robinson didn't bother explaining the message to his boys, and none of them asked. They were just happy to look legit and to have a coach who loved them enough to put shirts on their backs.
p. 94: "I believed that God desires to speak to us in different ways and through various means: dreams and visions, strangers and friends, nature and events, reason and silence. And though I had never heard audible voices, I had discerned God communicating in the form of unexpected thoughts that suddenly apprehended my own, causing me to either change direction or notice something I would not have been drawn to otherwise. These nudges were like taps on the shoulder that whispered, 'Pay attention over here.' I had grown attuned to this soft, small voice beneath the whirlwind of ordinary life, pointing me to look past the surface to the connectedness of our lives. Still, this directive was startlingly specific. It had not occurred to me that Juanita's son needed taking care of, and yet the plea could not have been clearer.
p. 125: And although Leroy acted as though he wanted to be left alone, he had not yet said no to filming with me. As I sat on the floor in Leroy's dungeon, I thought of how the great poet Maya Angelou famously said that there is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you. I thought of Leroy's hospital photos and the tattered black leather relic in the closet. I stopped caring about doing a story and started caring about the broken boy before me. I thought back on Robinson's audacious first words to me and wondered if perhaps I could be part of the solution to this boy's pain, rather than an additional cause. With that, I broke the silence.
p. 143: "You see a level of hopelessness here in kids who by the time they are fifteen or sixteen years old have already given up," Coach Hons explained. "They've seen people in their lives who put in time and energy, but because of how our economy is structured and how our society is structured, they are still in poverty. As much as there is opportunity in America, there is also a limit, and you see the psychological effects of that limit in our students." The image of Dartanyon carrying Leroy suggested that perhaps there were alternatives--choices to combat hopelessness with compassion. These two boys eliminated the right for excuses with their bravery to play on. To those who were taught real men don't need help, Dartanyon and Leroy proved it was possible to be both tender and tough. Perhaps above all, they showed that giving lightens us. "Leroy and Dartanyon give their peers a visual reminder that we're in this together," Coach Taylor said. "I'm on your back, you're on my back--whatever it takes, we can get to teh finish line. Whatever it takes, we can succeed."
p. 241: Leroy: "History is like gravity. It can pull you down. We wanted to succeed, but we needed someone to show us how--someone who believed our potential was more important than our past."
p. 249: When you are in the middle of a story, it isn't a story at all. It's confusion. It's darkness. It's a lingering ache in the gut. It's stabs to the chest. It's a feeling of being swept up in a reckless current with no boat, no life jacket, and no indication of whether you are headed for calmer waters or a deeper abyss. It is only afterward, when we tell someone else these experiences, that it becomes anything like a story at all. We were too far in to start over in a more prepared way, and we were too far from the end goal of self-sufficiency to glimpse light. We were groping our way through dense fog, living beyond our expertise.
p. 280: "Can a child who goes untreated for multiple complex traumas ever go on to thrive," I asked. "There are a lot of factors at play, but what we believe matters most is the nurturing, and particularly the relationship of the mother," Dr Christopher said. "If Leroy's mother had been equipped to properly care for him, you and I probably wouldn't be having this conversation today." Dr Christopher told me that it was difficult to know if the outcomes could be reversed. But he emphasized that caregivers, at any point in one's life, have the greatest influence on a person's sense of self-worth and value. "I'm not aware of any data on it, but common sense suggests that you have a better chance of reversing the effects if you keep trying than if you give up."
p. 285: when you give someone a safe space in which to tell his or her story, when you become a safe person to whom a story can be told, that space births compassion. And with compassion, one's sense of self-worth can be reframed, and goodness can begin to grow.
p. 287: You are never forgotten. You are wholly loved. You are worthy of celebration. This was Leroy's real education--learning to let each person there into his life, receiving love from his newer friends, and making peace with his family.
p. 294: In two years time, I essentially became a mother to four children of different races, ages, and abilities. It is not the family my husband and I planned. In fact, it is far better, far richer, than any we could have imagined. It is a family that reframed my understanding of what it means to be blessed. There was once a time I believed that blessings were things we possessed: stable jobs, good health, promising opportunities. I believed these were heaven's rewards for living well. But I now understand that a blessing has less to do with what we have and everything to do with what we are able to give. I understand that blessings come from being part of a redemptive journey here on earth, in allowing God to work out the injustices through us. Blessings come when we walk alongside another to pick up the broken pieces and together restore the beauty.
May 1, 2022
Written with compassion and a journalist's keen eye for story, Lisa Fenn delivers an incredible account of two athletes overcoming and enduring trauma and forming a brotherhood with each other.
This was a book I read for book club, and we had the wonderful opportunity to meet the author. She is in person how she comes across in the book: kind, thoughtful, and willing to deal with the difficult parts of life. The story she tells of Dartanyon and Leroy's athletic careers and how they took on the challenges and opportunities afforded to them by fame is moving in the ways that the young men were surrounded by community. Her writing is clear, making the book a quick read, and she includes as many voices as she can in the story. During her talk at our book club, she shared that she gave people the sections of the book about them as a way to fact-check her work (and, I'm sure, to give veto power over any parts of the story). This sense of fairness permeates her writing--she tells the facts but does not demonize or canonize anyone. Her focus on the humanity of everyone remains.
If you are looking for a good book, or a nonfiction sports book, pick this up!
This was a book I read for book club, and we had the wonderful opportunity to meet the author. She is in person how she comes across in the book: kind, thoughtful, and willing to deal with the difficult parts of life. The story she tells of Dartanyon and Leroy's athletic careers and how they took on the challenges and opportunities afforded to them by fame is moving in the ways that the young men were surrounded by community. Her writing is clear, making the book a quick read, and she includes as many voices as she can in the story. During her talk at our book club, she shared that she gave people the sections of the book about them as a way to fact-check her work (and, I'm sure, to give veto power over any parts of the story). This sense of fairness permeates her writing--she tells the facts but does not demonize or canonize anyone. Her focus on the humanity of everyone remains.
If you are looking for a good book, or a nonfiction sports book, pick this up!
February 17, 2018
I loved this book! A true story about a young woman who helped 2 underprivileged disabled youths in the Cleveland area while working at ESPN! This only scratches the surface! Do yourself a favor...read this book! The author, Lisa Fenn, came to our book group and she probably would come to yours!! She is a beautiful writer and a wonderful engaging person. You won’t believe the obstacles these young men overcame and what they achieved with her love and support!
April 16, 2018
It grabbed my attention since it is based in Cleveland my hometown and I love the movie/story "The Blind Side" I was intrigued to read it. It was a selection for my teacher's book club at school so it also was not a book I found on my own. Overall the story was one of true underdogs but I am not sure it needed 300 pages to tell the story. At times it was also frustrating watching the two lead men mess up over and over and the author who seemed to be the fairy god mother. The boys may have gotten some awards but I think the author needs one-or at least her family for putting up with her as she supported them time and time again.
November 15, 2016
Wow! I don't even think I can give this justice in a review. Could be one of the most moving and thought provoking stories I've ever read. I know it's a story I will not forget for a long time. It's hard to imagine what a different path these lives might have taken had it not been for crossing paths with Lisa. Such a raw narrative on the cycle of poverty and how challenging it is to overcome - for even those without any physical deficits. How far these boys have come is so amazing. Definitely a must read.
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March 23, 2017I didn't expect to like it--and the copy-editing errors and tired sports cliches did not help. But the story-telling is compelling, and as I started to realize that the biggest problems--the "white savior" issue and the author's naivete and trite Christian answers--were part of the narrative, I was able to appreciate it a bit more. I suspect that real life is not as neatly tied up in a bow as the book suggests, and "inspirational" is still not my preferred genre, but I am glad to know more of the story than just the headline.
July 17, 2017
I would give this book more than 5 stars if I could. I cried so much reading it, and I don't do that as a rule. The kids in this story are amazing not just because of what they were able to do regardless of their disabilities, but also because they were kind and loving despite the hardships they suffered.
Read this book, then watch their documentaries on YouTube. If you can do both without crying you are a stronger person than me.
Read this book, then watch their documentaries on YouTube. If you can do both without crying you are a stronger person than me.
June 25, 2018
This book was fantastic! I’d give it 4.5 stars. It was a deep and troubling look at the cycle of poverty, about dysfunctional families, and about race. It was also very inspiring. It is an amazing look at what it takes (an amazingly giving and patient woman, a whole village, a bunch of money and resources, and a long time) to help pull people out of the poverty cycle. I always enjoy a story about an unlikely or unusual kind of family. I highly recommend this book.
June 13, 2018
This is a wonderful book. Inspiring! Lisa reads the book and it is wonderful for listening! She came to our bookclub on Monday night.
I highly recommend this book!
I highly recommend this book!
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November 16, 2019Review by Sherry Preston
Carry On by Lisa Fenn is the story of two friends, Dartanyon Crockett who is legally blind, although he does have limited vision, and Leroy Sutton who lost his legs in a train accident. They wrestled for a high school in Cleveland when ESPN producer Lisa Fenn heard about them. Fenn was struck by these athletes: “The one with no legs, being carried by the one who could not see.”
Fenn spent several weeks filming and interviewing the two inner city boys about their friendship and their lives. They both grew up surrounded by poverty and with very little in the way of a support system. Their entire wrestling team had two pairs of wrestling shoes to share. The coach prayed every day for his team and particularly for Dartanyon and Leroy “because he felt, once they graduate, the world had nothing for kids like them.”
I found myself laughing and crying throughout the book. The boys’ interactions with each other were often quite funny:
Although it was funny throughout, the overall tone of the book was pretty somber as the young men struggled with a multitude of obstacles including the theft of Dartanyon’s ID and most of his possessions at a wrestling match.
Things we take for granted, like how to use a bank account were completely alien to the boys as they stepped off into adulthood. Fenn worked with the young men to teach them the skills they would need to become productive citizens.
I am never quite sure what I think about an author inserting herself into a non-fiction book, but in this case Fenn used herself to explain how difficult it was to get Leroy to trust her and open up, and also to help the reader interpret the poverty surrounding the boys. As the story goes on, Fenn becomes a necessary part of it, so it worked out in the end.
I would highly suggest this book for sports fans and anyone who likes a heartwarming or Christian story.
Carry On by Lisa Fenn is the story of two friends, Dartanyon Crockett who is legally blind, although he does have limited vision, and Leroy Sutton who lost his legs in a train accident. They wrestled for a high school in Cleveland when ESPN producer Lisa Fenn heard about them. Fenn was struck by these athletes: “The one with no legs, being carried by the one who could not see.”
Fenn spent several weeks filming and interviewing the two inner city boys about their friendship and their lives. They both grew up surrounded by poverty and with very little in the way of a support system. Their entire wrestling team had two pairs of wrestling shoes to share. The coach prayed every day for his team and particularly for Dartanyon and Leroy “because he felt, once they graduate, the world had nothing for kids like them.”
I found myself laughing and crying throughout the book. The boys’ interactions with each other were often quite funny:
"Did you guys do the homework?" the teacher asked.
"Dartanyon tried," Leroy said, "but he couldn't see it."
"So Leroy ran over," Dartanyon said, "and read it to me."
Although it was funny throughout, the overall tone of the book was pretty somber as the young men struggled with a multitude of obstacles including the theft of Dartanyon’s ID and most of his possessions at a wrestling match.
Things we take for granted, like how to use a bank account were completely alien to the boys as they stepped off into adulthood. Fenn worked with the young men to teach them the skills they would need to become productive citizens.
I am never quite sure what I think about an author inserting herself into a non-fiction book, but in this case Fenn used herself to explain how difficult it was to get Leroy to trust her and open up, and also to help the reader interpret the poverty surrounding the boys. As the story goes on, Fenn becomes a necessary part of it, so it worked out in the end.
I would highly suggest this book for sports fans and anyone who likes a heartwarming or Christian story.
November 6, 2022
Lisa’s memoir is fascinating and emotional. She is from Cleveland and was a producer for ESPN. She learned about two kids at Lincoln West, which is a Cleveland Public high school. Dartanyon and Leroy are the boys, they were both on the wrestling team and both had disabilities. Dartanyon is legally blind and Leroy lost his legs when he got hit by a train when he was 11.
Lisa comes to shadow them to create a documentary and becomes really invested in them as friends and in a maternal way.
Dartanyon and Leroy have great senses of humor and banter back and forth about out each other about their disabilities and other stuff.
They become somewhat known with Lisa telling their stories. She observes that even when they get high school degrees there are so many things they haven’t learned and there are so many setbacks for them. Even with sponsors helping to pay for further education, housing, food, they blow the money on fancy dinners or electronics. They haven’t learned to budget or figure out where to spend their time and energy and don’t always have faith in themselves to push toward and figure things out.
Lisa really is like a mom to the boys, she helps them, jokes with them, gets frustrated by them, sometimes they don’t call her for a month if they’re in a bad place and don’t want to be lectured. But she is patient and even when she is tired she tries to think of the big picture and relate to their point of view and find ways to help them grow into good lives.
My son read this for a high school class and I’m so glad he told me about it. Lisa Fenn’s writing is excellent and I hope that Leroy and Dartanyon are still thriving and having great lives!
Lisa comes to shadow them to create a documentary and becomes really invested in them as friends and in a maternal way.
Dartanyon and Leroy have great senses of humor and banter back and forth about out each other about their disabilities and other stuff.
They become somewhat known with Lisa telling their stories. She observes that even when they get high school degrees there are so many things they haven’t learned and there are so many setbacks for them. Even with sponsors helping to pay for further education, housing, food, they blow the money on fancy dinners or electronics. They haven’t learned to budget or figure out where to spend their time and energy and don’t always have faith in themselves to push toward and figure things out.
Lisa really is like a mom to the boys, she helps them, jokes with them, gets frustrated by them, sometimes they don’t call her for a month if they’re in a bad place and don’t want to be lectured. But she is patient and even when she is tired she tries to think of the big picture and relate to their point of view and find ways to help them grow into good lives.
My son read this for a high school class and I’m so glad he told me about it. Lisa Fenn’s writing is excellent and I hope that Leroy and Dartanyon are still thriving and having great lives!
May 23, 2018
This novel was deeply affecting. It was, on the surface, a story of a friendship of two young black high school wrestlers. One was blind and depended upon his friend to direct him as to where to go; his friend, lacking legs (severed in a train accident when he was a young child), rode on his back everywhere they went. An award winning producer from ESPN was notified about this unusual circumstance quite by mistake when her father heard about these two in the local Ohio newspaper. She became involved and chronicled their lives, their hopes and their dreams, and changed their lives when others were inspired by her film about the pair. However, this story is not an easy one of happy endings and neatly bound loose ends. There's a lot of grit and lack of understanding and prejudice and judging and defeat. The best part of this story is how Lisa Fenn did NOT give up on these two, when it would have been the most natural and most self preserving thing to do. This book is about understanding and coming out of your own comfort zone and your own skin to try to do the right thing, from where another stands. It's about the little victories, and about what real victories really are. Simply amazing. Life changing, and true. Run, don't walk, to get this one.
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