Hanging on to My Dreams - Bouncing Back from All Rejections

by Arnold Henry

"Hanging on to My Dreams" is an inspiring autobiography that follows the first 23 years of Arnold Henry, a West Indian basketball player who overcomes many hurdles and disappointments on the road to fulfilling his American hoop dreams. The story starts with a portrayal of Arnold's Caribbean childhood in a difficult household where sports provided a dream and a means of escape. After becoming the first basketball player from Saint Lucia to be awarded a full basketball scholarship as a freshman as the highest level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States, Arnold Henry's victory lap took a dark turn as he saw more school leagues that he expected after being accused of a crime. This stirring narrative also deals with Arnold's struggle to integrate into the American culture and sports systems. Arnold Henry's will to succeed and his strength to hang on to his dreams illustrates how we can all attain our goals-no matter what society throws at us.

ebook

Published September 1, 2011

About the author

Arnold Henry, (February 11, 1985), former NCAA Division I basketball player, is now a proud father, a children's author, an entrepreneur, a social media influencer, a motivational speaker and a skill development basketball trainer. He is currently residing in Canada with his wife and their two sons. Growing up on the rough streets in Saint Lucia, he excelled in Track and Field, representing the island at numerous regional sports meet. Later, he grew a desire for basketball, becoming an island champion at the 2000 Inter-Secondary Basketball Tournament. Just before graduating from High School, Mr. Henry was a recipient of the 2001 National Junior Male Basketball Player of the Year award. After only spending one year at a Community College (2002-2003), Mr. Henry accepted a basketball scholarship at Massanutten Military Academy, a prep-school located in Woodstock, Virginia USA. In 2004, he accepted an offer from the University of Vermont, where Mr. Henry became the first Saint Lucian to earn a full basketball scholarship at the NCAA Division I level.

In spring 2009, Mr. Henry obtained his bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems. It was then he started chasing his passion for writing and transforming his journals into a memoir. His debut publication, Hanging On To My Dreams, was published in 2011, followed by the sequel, Rebirth, which was published in 2015—two books that caters to youth empowerment and rising against all odds. Before becoming a published children's author in 2018, Mr. Henry had to face a harsh rejection letter that stated, “…stories on African-American fathers is a tough sell.” Today, he is living his dreams while promoting fatherhood with his publications: Daddy's Mini-Me and Patiently Waiting for Hope. When he’s not writing, Mr. Henry spends most of his time visiting schools and reading to children, as well as sharing his joy as a family man on Instagram. He has held multiple book signings and motivational speaking engagements in cities across Canada, England, USA, Mexico, India and Saint Lucia. He was one of the featured authors of Calgary’s 16th annual Wordfest. He also enjoys volunteering his time using his words of empowerment to motivate at risk youths of selected programs.