Rudy Ruettiger

A hero should demonstrate character above all else. I particularly admire perseverance in the face of adversity. My hero Rudy Ruettiger was hard working and determined as a young man. By his example, he made others try their best. Most importantly, he defied all odds to achieve his dream. That is why he is my hero.

Born into a working class family, Rudy was the third of fourteen children. No one in his family had ever gone to college or even thought about doing anything but working in the local steel mill, as his father and older brothers did. Rudy however, dreamed of playing football for the University of Notre Dame, but the only person who took him seriously was his best friend, Pete. In high school, try as he might, Rudy did not get good grades. He suffered from dyslexia, a learning disability that people of that day did not understand. Although he did make his high school’s football team, he was never better than an average player. Because there seemed to be no other options, he got a job at the steel mill following graduation from high school. A turning point occurred two years later when his friend Pete died in an accident at the mill.

Remembering how Pete had always believed that he could and should pursue his dream, Rudy left for Notre Dame immediately after the funeral. When he could not gain admittance, rather than giving up, he enrolled in nearby Holy Cross Junior College where he worked to get his grades up. A year and a half later after getting rejected three times, Rudy finally got into Notre Dame. Although he did not make the football team when he tried out, he did make the scout team, because he gave everything he had on every play. After two disappointing seasons, in which he was never allowed to even suit up, he finally got his chance. On the last play of the last game of his career, the coach finally put Rudy in the game. Seizing the opportunity, Rudy broke through to sack the quarterback preserving the win for Notre Dame. Because he never gave up until he reached his goal, Rudy Ruettiger is an inspiration to me. Resource: Rudy, Tristar Pictures Inc., 1993