Hall of Famer Wright Writes Another Chapter in His Life

Victor Wright, the 2008 John Muir High School Alumni Hall of Fame inductee, has released his memoirs, titled The Wright Stuff: A Story of Perseverance, Inspiration and Hope.

The 88-page autobiography, published by AuthorHouse and available online at www.authorhouse.com, barnesandnoble.com and Amazon.com, chronicles the life of a young promising athlete who overcame a devastating football injury and made the most of his life while coping with paralysis for nearly four decades.

“This project was six years in the making,” said co-author, classmate and life-long friend David Rutherford, a member of the John Muir High School Alumni Association’s board of directors. “Every time we thought we were done with the book, he kept writing another chapter in his life.”

Wright suffered a spinal injury in 1976 while playing for Muir’s sophomore team and was a source of inspiration for the varsity team, which beat archrival Pasadena High School, 13-10, in their annual cross-town matchup at the Rose Bowl, ending a nine-year losing streak to the Bulldogs. He was hospitalized for a year: six months in intensive care at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena; followed by another six months in physical rehabilitation at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center in Downey.

Since then, he graduated on schedule with his classmates in 1979; became one of the first quadriplegics to earn a college degree; co-founded a non-profit charity organization, Family of Friends International, which provides relief services to children overseas who have lost their parents in natural disasters; and became an ordained minister.

Now a published author, Wright is passionate about sharing his story with the world about maintaining a positive mindset to achieve goals. He credits his success to his faith, his family and close circle of friends, on whom he depends for all of his basic needs.

“Victor Wright is a community treasure and an inspiration to thousands,” Rutherford said. “Not because of what happened to him, but because of what he has made happen.”

Wright and Rutherford are scheduled to attend a book-signing event, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. The softcover edition of the book is currently available at Vroman’s; and in softcover, e-book and soon audiobook formats online.