‘Rudy’ hero inspires area kids

Thurston Middle School was alive with excitement Wednesday when Rudy

Ruettiger, the inspiration behind the 1993 film “Rudy,” came to

speak. The gymnasium was filled to capacity with students chanting

his name, stomping their feet and cheering with excitement.

As a kid, Ruettiger dreamed of playing football, but he was small,

topping out at 5 feet 6 and 165 pounds in college.

Ruettiger was the third child of 14, growing up in a blue-collar

neighborhood in Joliet, Ill. His dream was to attend Notre Dame and

play for the Fighting Irish.

After three rejections, he finally got accepted into Notre Dame.

Ruettiger attended every football practice and trained with the team

but never suited up. Finally, he got to play for 27 seconds the last

game of his senior year.

“The movie ‘Rudy’ is not about football; it’s the journey of my

dream,” Ruettiger said. “Everyone has a dream, everyone has a

journey.”

He said it is important to focus on one’s passion.

“What you do is how people perceive you -- they look at your

actions, so do the right things,” Ruettiger said. “It takes work and

effort to be what you want to be. You don’t have to be the smartest

or best-looking.”

He said he used to focus on the things he couldn’t do.

“Dreams are so powerful,” Ruettiger said. “If you have a positive

attitude and goals, you can do it. Work toward it endlessly.”

When Ruettiger was younger, he was labeled as not being smart. He

had a hard time with reading and comprehension, learning much later

he was dyslexic.

“Life isn’t fair,” Ruettiger said. “It’s all about perception.

Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it. Learn on your own

time, but if you’re not giving out effort, then you’re a dummy;

you’re not taking care of the opportunity to be the best you can be

right now. That’s the key.

“I’m just a guy who had a dream, took little steps and had a big

heart. I kept doing things I couldn’t do, plugging away. I swam

against the stream.”

Ruettiger said having character is what counts. Discipline and

courage are tools that helped him persevere.

“Don’t take shortcuts; my best friend took a shortcut and it ended

his life,” Ruettiger said. “It’s not worth it -- the best way is the

right way.”

Samantha Garner, 12, said she was inspired by Ruettiger’s life

story.

“He kept trying and trying to do what he wanted to do -- his

dream,” Samantha said. “It’s so important to follow your dreams, or

else there’s no point. You have to do what you really want.”

Emily Van Hanswyk, 12, said she believes in the same life

philosophy.

“I say to myself, you can get through it,” Emily said. “Life may

be hard, but you will get through it.”