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Resilience: Faith, Focus, Triumph
Resilience. It’s not just the title of Alonzo Mourning’s stirring memoir; it’s the stuff he’s made of. Whether petitioning himself into foster care as an eleven-year-old, tirelessly studying his way onto the dean’s list at Georgetown University, making it as an all-star center in the NBA, or returning to peak form after organ-transplant surgery, Mourning has shown enormous inner strength. His faith, his determination, and his courage are what have driven and sustained him throughout his extraordinary life.
In 2000, Mourning was on top of the world: He had a fat new contract, an Olympic gold medal, and a second beautiful child–all that and the fame and wealth he had earned playing the game he loved. But in September of that year, he was diagnosed with a rare and fatal kidney disease. Over the next couple of years, as his health faltered, he retired, unretired, and retired again–and sought to make sense of the rest of his life.
Finally in 2003, after a frantic search for a donor match, Mourning had a new kidney and a new outlook. He vowed to make this second chance count by dedicating his life to others. He resolved that he would consider the disease a blessing, a revelation of God’s plan for him.
Although he battled his way back to the NBA, winning a championship with the Miami Heat in 2006, Mourning believed that the most important and fulfilling part of his life still lay ahead. Basketball, it turned out, was just the vehicle that would allow him to devote his talents and energies to a greater cause.
Alonzo Mourning’s return to basketball glory, already familiar to sports fans and non-sports fans alike, has inspired millions of patients suffering from kidney disease and living with dialysis, as well as organ donors around the world. By sharing his experiences of the physical, emotional, and spiritual roller coaster of illness and recovery, Mourning hopes to deliver a message of faith and fire, hurdles and hope, trust and triumph. Resilience is a story about the meaningful everyday lessons that he longs to share and about the things that truly matter in life.
From the Hardcover edition.
In 2000, Mourning was on top of the world: He had a fat new contract, an Olympic gold medal, and a second beautiful child–all that and the fame and wealth he had earned playing the game he loved. But in September of that year, he was diagnosed with a rare and fatal kidney disease. Over the next couple of years, as his health faltered, he retired, unretired, and retired again–and sought to make sense of the rest of his life.
Finally in 2003, after a frantic search for a donor match, Mourning had a new kidney and a new outlook. He vowed to make this second chance count by dedicating his life to others. He resolved that he would consider the disease a blessing, a revelation of God’s plan for him.
Although he battled his way back to the NBA, winning a championship with the Miami Heat in 2006, Mourning believed that the most important and fulfilling part of his life still lay ahead. Basketball, it turned out, was just the vehicle that would allow him to devote his talents and energies to a greater cause.
Alonzo Mourning’s return to basketball glory, already familiar to sports fans and non-sports fans alike, has inspired millions of patients suffering from kidney disease and living with dialysis, as well as organ donors around the world. By sharing his experiences of the physical, emotional, and spiritual roller coaster of illness and recovery, Mourning hopes to deliver a message of faith and fire, hurdles and hope, trust and triumph. Resilience is a story about the meaningful everyday lessons that he longs to share and about the things that truly matter in life.
From the Hardcover edition.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
9 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 12, 2009
People think I'm an unlikely NBA fan but the Miami Heat, and especially Alonzo Mourning, are wonderful. I love to watch the beauty and artistry of their play, especially Dwyane Wade's 4-dimensional moves around/through defenders, even if I usually only catch the highlights. I think Zo captivated me most of all, though, off the court. His determination and spirit are a real inspiration. His press conference after the 2006 championship win was just amazing. I can feel my spine tingling from the memory of it. I wish I could find it again on you tube.
Again at his retirement announcement, I felt what a great spirit he is. I'll miss him so much. So I had to read his book.
The writing is decent, if not stellar. The book alone wouldn't inspire me as much as the totality of Zo's life does. He put himself into foster care at age 10, because his parents were breaking up and their homes weren't where he knew he needed to be. He ended up with a foster mom who provided a great environment. He made other hard choices through the years, picking the college team with the toughest requirements for academics, with the coach who demanded the most grueling workouts, and again favoring pro coaches who were the toughest. He's such a hard worker. He asks so much from himself. Other NBA stars have more natural talent. Zo makes up for it by working harder and wanting it more.
He shows us how to be true champions. I love some of the thoughts he uses to motivate himself. Pain is temporary, he said, but quitting lasts forever. You can sit back and wait for it to happen, or you can go out and make it happen. I love his constant focus on positivity, on mentally overcoming. He said that if you can get your mind in the right place, your body will eventually follow.
He's retired now. He's going to focus on his charities, his family, and his golf game. I know he'll continue to live his life in a way that inspires others to succeed as he has. He's such an admirable person. I want to be Zo when I grow up.
Again at his retirement announcement, I felt what a great spirit he is. I'll miss him so much. So I had to read his book.
The writing is decent, if not stellar. The book alone wouldn't inspire me as much as the totality of Zo's life does. He put himself into foster care at age 10, because his parents were breaking up and their homes weren't where he knew he needed to be. He ended up with a foster mom who provided a great environment. He made other hard choices through the years, picking the college team with the toughest requirements for academics, with the coach who demanded the most grueling workouts, and again favoring pro coaches who were the toughest. He's such a hard worker. He asks so much from himself. Other NBA stars have more natural talent. Zo makes up for it by working harder and wanting it more.
He shows us how to be true champions. I love some of the thoughts he uses to motivate himself. Pain is temporary, he said, but quitting lasts forever. You can sit back and wait for it to happen, or you can go out and make it happen. I love his constant focus on positivity, on mentally overcoming. He said that if you can get your mind in the right place, your body will eventually follow.
He's retired now. He's going to focus on his charities, his family, and his golf game. I know he'll continue to live his life in a way that inspires others to succeed as he has. He's such an admirable person. I want to be Zo when I grow up.
Read
April 5, 2017I loved this book. Probably one of my top five favorite basketball players of all time. This book details his life very well. From his struggles coming from foster care to his eventual championship in 2006 with the heat. It details how generous of a person he was and how humble he is to this day. His kidney transplant mid NBA career and how he became a model for other people to power through his transplant.
Overall an easier read but did not skimp out on content at all. Loved how the book detailed his family life and his college years. However some problems come up with the text at times it felt like a resume and less of a biography.
Overall an easier read but did not skimp out on content at all. Loved how the book detailed his family life and his college years. However some problems come up with the text at times it felt like a resume and less of a biography.
April 10, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “YOU CAN’T HURT YOUR TEAM BY TRYING TO GRAB TOO MANY REBOUNDS OR STOPPING TOO MANY SHOTS”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the life story of famed basketball player Alonzo “Zo” Mourning. Despite being a three-time All American at Georgetown University… a seven-time NBA All-Star… a two-time NBA Defensive Player Of The Year… an Olympic Gold Medal winner… a college graduate with a degree in sociology… and after fourteen years in the NBA… he finally won a World Championship with the Miami Heat in 2006...
BUT…
Zo has made a much *BIGGER* impact on the world by not only fighting to overcome a kidney disease called focal glomerulosclerosis, of which there is no cure… but after fighting a “losing” battle with that disease… wound up having to get a kidney transplant as well. A winner like Zo, doesn’t have the word lose in his vocabulary… and at a point in his life when he had more money than he could ever spend… and was thanking the Lord for his life… he dedicated his body and soul… to do… the unthinkable... PLAY AGAIN IN THE NBA!
If you look back on Zo’s childhood, it is impossible not to have realized that this was one unique individual, and he was going to succeed on his terms. When Zo was ten-years-old his parents’ marriage began to deteriorate and would eventually wind up in a divorce. His life at home was becoming strenuous. The family went to the department of social services for counseling. Zo loved his parents… BUT HE ASKED TO BE PUT INTO A GROUP HOME! Can you imagine that? He loved his parents… but thought it would be better to be in a group home. That’s one heck of a decision for a ten-year-old! From there he wound up in a foster home with a woman named Fannie Threet, “a local hero who as a foster Mom helped raise forty-nine kids.” Zo was one of those kids. He wound up calling Mrs. Threet Mom, but his real Mother and Father remained in his life. Zo became the number-one-rated high school basketball player in the country, and every major University came after him offering scholarships. He decided on Georgetown University because all the other coaches came to his house promising “playing-time” and perks… but Coach John Thompson promised Mrs. Threet that he “WOULDN’T” promise Zo any playing time… but “WOULD” promise he would get an education.
The author “briefly” leads you through his playing career at Georgetown, the Charlotte Hornets, the Miami Heat, the New Jersey Nets, and back to Miami… but that’s not really what this book is truly about. The essence of this story is Zo’s being “staggered” by the failure of his powerful SIX-FOOT-NINE-AND-A-HALF-INCH – TWO-HUNDRED-SIXTY-ONE-POUND-BODY. What it felt like to be blind-sided by a relentless disease. How he faced it… how he fought back… both physically… medically… and probably most importantly to Zo… SPIRITUALLY!
Zo had always had faith, but he felt he hadn’t been close enough to G-d. “There is close and there is “CLOSE”. “It is one thing to walk with G-d and another to walk hand in hand with G-d.” He said “I COULD DO A LITTLE BETTER. I COULD BE CLOSER WITH G-D. I COULD BE MORE HONEST WITH G-D.” His soul was put at ease after a Pastor told him: “IT WASN’T A MATTER OF G-D ACCEPTING ME, BUT OF ME ACCEPTING G-D.”
This book affected me in ways above and beyond my love for basketball. My Dad died from kidney failure so I was knowledgeable about many of the things Zo faced. Zo goes into great detail about fighting back from a life threatening situation… and I know firsthand what that’s like… since I almost died during brain tumor surgery around the time Zo was fighting his battle. One thing Zo said many times during this book… that I said over and over to my son… when I faced death… and that’s that… THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO ARE A LOT WORSE OFF THAN ME! Zo donates so much of his time to charitable foundations and helps many poor afflicted children facing kidney disease.
It’s not often I can say something like this about a professional athlete… but it defines Alonzo Mourning perfectly:
**ZO IS A CHAMPION… ON… AND… OFF… THE COURT!**
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the life story of famed basketball player Alonzo “Zo” Mourning. Despite being a three-time All American at Georgetown University… a seven-time NBA All-Star… a two-time NBA Defensive Player Of The Year… an Olympic Gold Medal winner… a college graduate with a degree in sociology… and after fourteen years in the NBA… he finally won a World Championship with the Miami Heat in 2006...
BUT…
Zo has made a much *BIGGER* impact on the world by not only fighting to overcome a kidney disease called focal glomerulosclerosis, of which there is no cure… but after fighting a “losing” battle with that disease… wound up having to get a kidney transplant as well. A winner like Zo, doesn’t have the word lose in his vocabulary… and at a point in his life when he had more money than he could ever spend… and was thanking the Lord for his life… he dedicated his body and soul… to do… the unthinkable... PLAY AGAIN IN THE NBA!
If you look back on Zo’s childhood, it is impossible not to have realized that this was one unique individual, and he was going to succeed on his terms. When Zo was ten-years-old his parents’ marriage began to deteriorate and would eventually wind up in a divorce. His life at home was becoming strenuous. The family went to the department of social services for counseling. Zo loved his parents… BUT HE ASKED TO BE PUT INTO A GROUP HOME! Can you imagine that? He loved his parents… but thought it would be better to be in a group home. That’s one heck of a decision for a ten-year-old! From there he wound up in a foster home with a woman named Fannie Threet, “a local hero who as a foster Mom helped raise forty-nine kids.” Zo was one of those kids. He wound up calling Mrs. Threet Mom, but his real Mother and Father remained in his life. Zo became the number-one-rated high school basketball player in the country, and every major University came after him offering scholarships. He decided on Georgetown University because all the other coaches came to his house promising “playing-time” and perks… but Coach John Thompson promised Mrs. Threet that he “WOULDN’T” promise Zo any playing time… but “WOULD” promise he would get an education.
The author “briefly” leads you through his playing career at Georgetown, the Charlotte Hornets, the Miami Heat, the New Jersey Nets, and back to Miami… but that’s not really what this book is truly about. The essence of this story is Zo’s being “staggered” by the failure of his powerful SIX-FOOT-NINE-AND-A-HALF-INCH – TWO-HUNDRED-SIXTY-ONE-POUND-BODY. What it felt like to be blind-sided by a relentless disease. How he faced it… how he fought back… both physically… medically… and probably most importantly to Zo… SPIRITUALLY!
Zo had always had faith, but he felt he hadn’t been close enough to G-d. “There is close and there is “CLOSE”. “It is one thing to walk with G-d and another to walk hand in hand with G-d.” He said “I COULD DO A LITTLE BETTER. I COULD BE CLOSER WITH G-D. I COULD BE MORE HONEST WITH G-D.” His soul was put at ease after a Pastor told him: “IT WASN’T A MATTER OF G-D ACCEPTING ME, BUT OF ME ACCEPTING G-D.”
This book affected me in ways above and beyond my love for basketball. My Dad died from kidney failure so I was knowledgeable about many of the things Zo faced. Zo goes into great detail about fighting back from a life threatening situation… and I know firsthand what that’s like… since I almost died during brain tumor surgery around the time Zo was fighting his battle. One thing Zo said many times during this book… that I said over and over to my son… when I faced death… and that’s that… THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO ARE A LOT WORSE OFF THAN ME! Zo donates so much of his time to charitable foundations and helps many poor afflicted children facing kidney disease.
It’s not often I can say something like this about a professional athlete… but it defines Alonzo Mourning perfectly:
**ZO IS A CHAMPION… ON… AND… OFF… THE COURT!**
August 3, 2017
While his book may be advertised as not being a basketball
book, how can this amazing story of Alonzo “Zo” Mourning
not be told without focusing much of the telling being about
that sport and his life in basketball? Yes, there really is a lot
of basketball in this book but the kidney disease challenge
and the resultant kidney transplant takes center stage within
the framework of that life on the courts that makes the story
so incredible and inspiring. Its title, Resilience, says it all in
that one word and all the rest of the words and chapters
support that one word summary.
After tracing his roots from childhood, where he made tough decisions about his
self declared independence even as a 10 year old
child, with the support of an adopted family and its
prayerful supporting mother, we read of his successful basketball career in college
(both in sports and education) and the pros.
At the seeming height of that success, Zo is stricken down and looses
the battle with a kidney disease called focal glomerulosclerosis,
of which there is no cure, but then goes on to get a kidney transplant
and therein lies the story of his real success. Unbelievably to most, with faith and focus, he not only fights to a successful recovery, but returns to play in the brutally physical NBA again!
Alonzo’s comeback serves as hope and inspiration for transplant patients worldwide in
showing what is possible, overcoming the many mental and physical challenges that
come with this lifesaving procedure so common today. Why else would almost 80,000
be lined up waiting for a kidney transplant on the UNOS list just in this country alone?
Yes, an extreme recovery like his takes extreme focus and faith, but even at the non-
champion athletic level, the average patient can do it and that is the power of this reading
which I strongly recommend for every patient and family facing a transplant in their lives
today. As Alonzo shows in his life and story, finally winning a World Championship
with the Miami Heat post transplant in 2006, with “faith and focus we can triumph!”
Spiritually and physically, he focuses total energy on making his 6 foot 9 inch body
return to a peak performance level, and we can feel the effort and pain as we share that
part in reading his recovery story.
If you are looking for inspiration and powerful example of what the human body can
recover from and do post transplant, this is the book to read. Alonzo is one very special
and “really good/nice guy” (at least when you are not his opponent on the court) as we
see in his very quiet and personal outreach to others in need, especially children facing
their own medical challenges. I can say that this is one “feel good” read for everyone.
see this and more than a hundred other organ donation/transplant related books - many with my personal reviews - at http://www.trioweb.org/resources/book...
book, how can this amazing story of Alonzo “Zo” Mourning
not be told without focusing much of the telling being about
that sport and his life in basketball? Yes, there really is a lot
of basketball in this book but the kidney disease challenge
and the resultant kidney transplant takes center stage within
the framework of that life on the courts that makes the story
so incredible and inspiring. Its title, Resilience, says it all in
that one word and all the rest of the words and chapters
support that one word summary.
After tracing his roots from childhood, where he made tough decisions about his
self declared independence even as a 10 year old
child, with the support of an adopted family and its
prayerful supporting mother, we read of his successful basketball career in college
(both in sports and education) and the pros.
At the seeming height of that success, Zo is stricken down and looses
the battle with a kidney disease called focal glomerulosclerosis,
of which there is no cure, but then goes on to get a kidney transplant
and therein lies the story of his real success. Unbelievably to most, with faith and focus, he not only fights to a successful recovery, but returns to play in the brutally physical NBA again!
Alonzo’s comeback serves as hope and inspiration for transplant patients worldwide in
showing what is possible, overcoming the many mental and physical challenges that
come with this lifesaving procedure so common today. Why else would almost 80,000
be lined up waiting for a kidney transplant on the UNOS list just in this country alone?
Yes, an extreme recovery like his takes extreme focus and faith, but even at the non-
champion athletic level, the average patient can do it and that is the power of this reading
which I strongly recommend for every patient and family facing a transplant in their lives
today. As Alonzo shows in his life and story, finally winning a World Championship
with the Miami Heat post transplant in 2006, with “faith and focus we can triumph!”
Spiritually and physically, he focuses total energy on making his 6 foot 9 inch body
return to a peak performance level, and we can feel the effort and pain as we share that
part in reading his recovery story.
If you are looking for inspiration and powerful example of what the human body can
recover from and do post transplant, this is the book to read. Alonzo is one very special
and “really good/nice guy” (at least when you are not his opponent on the court) as we
see in his very quiet and personal outreach to others in need, especially children facing
their own medical challenges. I can say that this is one “feel good” read for everyone.
see this and more than a hundred other organ donation/transplant related books - many with my personal reviews - at http://www.trioweb.org/resources/book...
December 2, 2019
What I liked/disliked the most:
+Nice inside view of a basketball career
+Great reflections on discipline and resilience
+Alonzo's fairly humble way to look at past events from his life
-I missed a greater description about the last events in the book, I felt that less attention was given to the end in comparison to the great and detailed descriptions of other moments of his life.
I purchased this book 9 years ago as an impulsive action of a Miami Heat fan, with actually no idea of what to expect. Almost a decade later I decided to read it and I was blown away by how little I knew about of one the top NBA players of the 1990-2000 era and how inspiring and interesting Alonzo's story turned out to be.
Having the opportunity to read about an inside view of a basketball carrer was already interesting as several aspects of it such as college recruiting, NBA contract negotiations and team chemistry are not easy to grasp just by watching games and reading the news. Just for this part I would already recommend the book to basketball fans (especially Miami Heat's). However, there is so much more in his story that basketball becomes almost a secondary subject as the book goes on. Since his very young years he showed such an impressive mix of courage and maturity that allowed him to go through several different challenges fighting through them in the most disciplined manner.
As in any autobiography, the reader depends on the author's honesty in order to have a true understanding of his mind and feelings at each moment and I believe that Alonzo was able to present a very candid version of his story life while also making it a really joyfull experience to read it.
+Nice inside view of a basketball career
+Great reflections on discipline and resilience
+Alonzo's fairly humble way to look at past events from his life
-I missed a greater description about the last events in the book, I felt that less attention was given to the end in comparison to the great and detailed descriptions of other moments of his life.
I purchased this book 9 years ago as an impulsive action of a Miami Heat fan, with actually no idea of what to expect. Almost a decade later I decided to read it and I was blown away by how little I knew about of one the top NBA players of the 1990-2000 era and how inspiring and interesting Alonzo's story turned out to be.
Having the opportunity to read about an inside view of a basketball carrer was already interesting as several aspects of it such as college recruiting, NBA contract negotiations and team chemistry are not easy to grasp just by watching games and reading the news. Just for this part I would already recommend the book to basketball fans (especially Miami Heat's). However, there is so much more in his story that basketball becomes almost a secondary subject as the book goes on. Since his very young years he showed such an impressive mix of courage and maturity that allowed him to go through several different challenges fighting through them in the most disciplined manner.
As in any autobiography, the reader depends on the author's honesty in order to have a true understanding of his mind and feelings at each moment and I believe that Alonzo was able to present a very candid version of his story life while also making it a really joyfull experience to read it.
March 31, 2022
I'll say this. Forget about the monster of a player that he was. Of course, you love him or hate him. It's kind of irrelevant to me. Yes, he had his temper tantrums, and it was uncalled for when he elbowed Pippen. However, Alonze, with time, understood the path that he wanted to go. It was all about choices, the RIGHT CHOICES. Yes, he went through a lot to recover from his kidney transplant. However, the decision to stay with a foster home instead of his parents was the glue to his success. Nothing was negatively made towards his parents. He loved them. On the other hand, with the divorce and drama in the household, Alonzo was willing to make the sacrifices to be surrounded with positive influences instead of negativity. Now, if he would have stayed with the household, who knows what would have become of him. As he aged, he made mistakes like we all. With the second chances, he took them and not doubted. I think this is a book more about triumphs and choices than basketball. I loved the book. Everybody should read this piece of literature.
Read
January 15, 2020What I really like about the memoir is Mourning’s view of things it’s a never give up spirit. He has gone through so much hardship like fighting that kidney disease, and also those injuries he’s had in his career.
July 25, 2018
Talk about motivation: from kidney disease to the NBA championship, transplant, good book. His faith in God is amazing and well placed
October 17, 2022
Summer Reading book: very inspirational, great story!
May 15, 2013
Quinn Hake
English 10
Mr. Moore
5/15/2013
Resilience
Do you know who Alonzo Mourning is? Well, he was a special NBA player from 1992 until 2008. He is 6ft 10 inches tall, 262 lbs, and played center for the Hornets, Heat, Nets, Raptors, and then went back to the Heat again. He had a lot of ups in his career but also, many downs. He played basketball all the time when he was young and he knew at a very young age that he and basketball were meant for each other. He dominated the game from a very early age and never really stopped, until he got a kidney disease called focal glomerulosclerosis.
Focal Glomerulosclerosis is when scarring in the kidneys occurs and it sooner or later makes them unable to work. The scarring happens when you urinate because proteins that your kidneys usually hold are coming out, and you can only have a little bit of fluctuation in your protein count. It is a very serious matter. You almost always need a transplant to fix it. So Alonzo got this rare condition where it made him very tired and exhausted and that was bad because he was in the very heavy physical sport basketball, and what made it worse was that he was probably at the most physical spot on the court. He played the center position, going up grabbing rebounds, boxing someone out, pushing them, and them pushing you. Man against man. No one ever backed down. It was usually two 6ft 11inch guys down under the hoop fighting. These are never small men. Somehow Alonzo continued to play in the NBA while he had this disease. He had to take time off and miss part of the season, but not too much.
Focal Glomerulosclerosis was not Alonzo’s only problem in his young life. He had a few other ones, not as serious as Focal Glomerulosclerosis that could have killed him and put a real fast end to his career, but a few smaller ones. He didn’t have a good home life. It wasn’t like his parents were bad parents or were big partiers or anything like that they were a middle- class family. Alonzo decided to put himself into foster care at 10 years old and just move from his parents. His parents still stayed connected to him and visited him whenever they could. Alonzo’s foster mother was an extremely nice women, all she had done her life was foster care in Chesapeake where she was not only a foster mother to Alonzo, but to literally hundreds of different foster kids, at different times. He had another problem in his early life. When he first went to college at Georgetown his freshmen year, did he know it was a problem? No, but everyone else did. He got caught up with a drug lord named Rayful and his Coach John Thompson found out and the FBI did too. Then one day the FBI came to talk to him about Rayful. They asked him questions and Alonzo had no idea of what Rayful was affiliated with. Then after that Coach Thompson called him into his office yelled at Alonzo for being involved with him and threaten to take his full ride scholarship and everything from Alonzo. (Alonzo did not know that Rayful was a drug dealer.)
There were some bright spots for Alonzo Mourning. The one thing that Alonzo Mourning wanted more than anything more than all of his awards that he had won, as a rookie, as a middle player, and as a senior player. He wanted to win a NBA championship. He was already financially secure, he was just playing for the love of the game. But he still wanted the NBA title. It was like a lifestyle for him and when he woke up if he didn’t have a game he would go to the gym work on his shot and weight lift for 4 hours a day. It was an obsession for him, he always wanted to be prepared for the game no matter what was thrown at him. In the end of his career, after much hard work and dedication to the game of basketball, he did get that dream of the NBA championship in 2006. It was at the end of his career. He wasn’t playing very much and it was all thanks to two special guys, one more than the other. Their names where Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal. Dwyane Wade was better than Shaq because he was new to the league and a force and was the focus of the team.
I really enjoyed this book it was a great read. It is not for someone who constantly needs some action to go on. It is a little bit of a slower read and you have to slow down and read it. In the end I would recommend this book to anyone you likes the game of basketball and knows of or who Alonzo Mourning is.
English 10
Mr. Moore
5/15/2013
Resilience
Do you know who Alonzo Mourning is? Well, he was a special NBA player from 1992 until 2008. He is 6ft 10 inches tall, 262 lbs, and played center for the Hornets, Heat, Nets, Raptors, and then went back to the Heat again. He had a lot of ups in his career but also, many downs. He played basketball all the time when he was young and he knew at a very young age that he and basketball were meant for each other. He dominated the game from a very early age and never really stopped, until he got a kidney disease called focal glomerulosclerosis.
Focal Glomerulosclerosis is when scarring in the kidneys occurs and it sooner or later makes them unable to work. The scarring happens when you urinate because proteins that your kidneys usually hold are coming out, and you can only have a little bit of fluctuation in your protein count. It is a very serious matter. You almost always need a transplant to fix it. So Alonzo got this rare condition where it made him very tired and exhausted and that was bad because he was in the very heavy physical sport basketball, and what made it worse was that he was probably at the most physical spot on the court. He played the center position, going up grabbing rebounds, boxing someone out, pushing them, and them pushing you. Man against man. No one ever backed down. It was usually two 6ft 11inch guys down under the hoop fighting. These are never small men. Somehow Alonzo continued to play in the NBA while he had this disease. He had to take time off and miss part of the season, but not too much.
Focal Glomerulosclerosis was not Alonzo’s only problem in his young life. He had a few other ones, not as serious as Focal Glomerulosclerosis that could have killed him and put a real fast end to his career, but a few smaller ones. He didn’t have a good home life. It wasn’t like his parents were bad parents or were big partiers or anything like that they were a middle- class family. Alonzo decided to put himself into foster care at 10 years old and just move from his parents. His parents still stayed connected to him and visited him whenever they could. Alonzo’s foster mother was an extremely nice women, all she had done her life was foster care in Chesapeake where she was not only a foster mother to Alonzo, but to literally hundreds of different foster kids, at different times. He had another problem in his early life. When he first went to college at Georgetown his freshmen year, did he know it was a problem? No, but everyone else did. He got caught up with a drug lord named Rayful and his Coach John Thompson found out and the FBI did too. Then one day the FBI came to talk to him about Rayful. They asked him questions and Alonzo had no idea of what Rayful was affiliated with. Then after that Coach Thompson called him into his office yelled at Alonzo for being involved with him and threaten to take his full ride scholarship and everything from Alonzo. (Alonzo did not know that Rayful was a drug dealer.)
There were some bright spots for Alonzo Mourning. The one thing that Alonzo Mourning wanted more than anything more than all of his awards that he had won, as a rookie, as a middle player, and as a senior player. He wanted to win a NBA championship. He was already financially secure, he was just playing for the love of the game. But he still wanted the NBA title. It was like a lifestyle for him and when he woke up if he didn’t have a game he would go to the gym work on his shot and weight lift for 4 hours a day. It was an obsession for him, he always wanted to be prepared for the game no matter what was thrown at him. In the end of his career, after much hard work and dedication to the game of basketball, he did get that dream of the NBA championship in 2006. It was at the end of his career. He wasn’t playing very much and it was all thanks to two special guys, one more than the other. Their names where Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal. Dwyane Wade was better than Shaq because he was new to the league and a force and was the focus of the team.
I really enjoyed this book it was a great read. It is not for someone who constantly needs some action to go on. It is a little bit of a slower read and you have to slow down and read it. In the end I would recommend this book to anyone you likes the game of basketball and knows of or who Alonzo Mourning is.
May 12, 2010
Resilience by Alonzo Mourning with Dan Wetzel is an inspiring book about a NBA player Alonzo Mourning who is one of the best shot blockers of all time is forced to retire because of a Kidney disease. This book really showed me how athletes should be, not playing just for money but playing because they love the game and are hungry for a championship. When Alonzo’s doctor told him he has a rare kidney disease, Alonzo asked, “Well, will I be able to play basketball again.” At this time in the book I realized that all Zo wanted to do was play. Zo’s strength is inspiring because he was able to fight back from a disease and help his former team win a Championship. His strength was no match for the disease but also his troubled childhood in foster care and his decision to leave his parents.
When Alonzo had the kidney transplant surgery, he received the new kidney and was given a second chance he decided he was going to give back and help others by creating a Kidney Disease Fund. He wanted to show his I loved how Alonzo Mourning gives you simple tips and shows emotion which allows you to visualize what exactly is going on. I can tell that he put a lot of time into this book to teach the importance of giving back and fighting for what you want.
When Alonzo had the kidney transplant surgery, he received the new kidney and was given a second chance he decided he was going to give back and help others by creating a Kidney Disease Fund. He wanted to show his I loved how Alonzo Mourning gives you simple tips and shows emotion which allows you to visualize what exactly is going on. I can tell that he put a lot of time into this book to teach the importance of giving back and fighting for what you want.
October 18, 2013
I have read so many basketball books that for me to want to read a biography, the player has to have an interesting facet. Zo qualifies: he received a kidney transplant, retired, and came back to the league. OK, Sean Elliot had one also, but he didn't write a book, so there.
Before, I had little interest in Zo. He's just the scowling angry man who let out a primal scream when he perfectly toasted a piece of bread (according to the Sports Pickle), so the kidney angle gave me a glimpse into the door and he's actually a fellow with an interesting story. Yeah, he's guarded. He talks a lot about why he's that way. He actually comes across a lot warmer character, possibly because of how the kidney ordeal gave him a new outlook on life.
He's also very open with his faith and his belief in holistic medicine and nutrition. It was a fast read and a lot more upbeat and positive than I expected.
Before, I had little interest in Zo. He's just the scowling angry man who let out a primal scream when he perfectly toasted a piece of bread (according to the Sports Pickle), so the kidney angle gave me a glimpse into the door and he's actually a fellow with an interesting story. Yeah, he's guarded. He talks a lot about why he's that way. He actually comes across a lot warmer character, possibly because of how the kidney ordeal gave him a new outlook on life.
He's also very open with his faith and his belief in holistic medicine and nutrition. It was a fast read and a lot more upbeat and positive than I expected.
October 31, 2015
I really enjoyed this book and how motivated this gentleman was despite obvious setbacks, he always saw them as obstacles for him to come back even stronger in his faith in himself and in his faith in God. I was not a Miami Heat fan when he is a player, but I saw a little bit of him, and he must have been a fantastic player.
I give him a lot of credit for putting his priority on obtaining an education and at Georgetown at that. He proved to himself that he could do it despite all the obstacles he endured. I looked him up on Google and he is still doing just fine.
I was really impressed with his setbacks in his life that caused him to grow closer to God and strengthen his faith. I really recommend this book.
I give him a lot of credit for putting his priority on obtaining an education and at Georgetown at that. He proved to himself that he could do it despite all the obstacles he endured. I looked him up on Google and he is still doing just fine.
I was really impressed with his setbacks in his life that caused him to grow closer to God and strengthen his faith. I really recommend this book.
October 7, 2011
Some people have rated this low because it was written by him and you can tell, sure you can tell, but that's a good thing. There's never a better way to read a story about someone's life than them telling you it themselves. Sure it was a bit churchie in places, and yes I skipped most of the chapter about holistic medicine, but it's a great story. To see that having a transplant doesn't have to be the end of everything, that you can go on and achieve your life long goals. It's certainly a very good autobiography, in the same league, if not quite so good as, Lance Armstrong's It's not about the bike.
May 24, 2011
This autobiography of an often overlooked sports hero was no doubt a feel good read. It's so interesting to see sports headlines and stories from the news media's perspective, and then to go behind the scenes and see the thoughts that were playing out in an athlete's mind as real life was unfolding all-around them. Most know Mourning was hit with some tough breaks and life, but just as the title suggests, he never once lays down his cards and folds. Very easy read, and an enjoyable one for any sports fan who desires to see what goes on beyond what we see on T.V.
April 2, 2012
Decently written biography, as sports biographies go. Not as entertaining as Shaq's, but Zo has had some interesting experiences, no doubt. I was fascinated most by his high school years as the number one player in the country (sophomore through senior year), his recruitment (shopping spree on his Georgia Tech visit), his time at Georgetown (his inadvertent link to D.C. drug king-pin) and his first NBA years with the Hornets. His kidney issues and family life give you a better perspective on the man, but that early basketball stuff was what I enjoyed most.
November 3, 2024
'Resilience' by Alonzo Mourning is a book about the great basketball carreer of Alonzo Moruning but also a book about the fight against a severe kidney desease and the comeback to the highest level with a transplant. The book is inspiring on how hard a human can fight back some problems. While the stories were enjoyable to read and I really loved to watch mourning play as a non religious European the focus was a little bit too much on god and the impact god had on his live and that all was gods plan all along. To be honest that was sometimes a little bothering.
December 7, 2011
Really inspires me and gives hope. It talks about fearlessness and how never to give up. Just keep fighting and trying and you will get there. This book really has a lot of feeling and emotion to it. It shows everything and what happen from even to event, it describes it very neatly and organized very well.
January 13, 2012
Resilience was an average athlete memoir that detailed the life-story of former Miami Heat center and kidney disease survivor. Several interesting insights and anecdotes are peppered throughout the text, and Mourning's journey from transplant surgery to NBA champion is inspiring. The actual content is written at a low-level, leaving something to be desired for the adamant reader.
October 26, 2012
I gave this book a 5 star rating because it isn't like typical biographies about sports players. This book gave insight into the personal lives of one of the greatest basketball players ever. Also Alonzo Mourning talks about how hard work payed off in high school when he became the number 1 player in the country
April 13, 2015
Great Book
Alonzo talks about his upbringing, and having to make tough decisions as a child, by selecting to be put in Foster Care. To his town at Georgetown with Coach Thompson. To his NBA career and his need for a transplant.
Alonzo talks about his upbringing, and having to make tough decisions as a child, by selecting to be put in Foster Care. To his town at Georgetown with Coach Thompson. To his NBA career and his need for a transplant.
March 22, 2016
I had no idea Alonzo Mourning retired from the NBA due to kidney disease and then came back to win a national championship. This was an inspiring story, and refreshing to see such a ridiculously high-paid professional athlete so eager to give back to others and share his abundance.
November 13, 2008
Emotional at times, also a look into a professional atlete's tale.
September 26, 2009
Nothing special. I don't think he had much help with the book. It read like it was written by an athlete.
August 1, 2011
Inspirational
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December 13, 2016rly good book
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