The story of two disabled wrestlers, Dartanyon Crockett and Leroy Sutton, who attended a struggling Cleveland public high school, was brought to ESPN in 2009 by Lisa Fenn. The sports network producer has told the story of her involvement with the two athletes in her new memoir, "Carry On", which will be published by HarperCollins this August.
Crockett, the best wrestler on the team despite being legally blind, would carry Sutton, who had lost both his legs in a train accident when he was 11, to practices and meets.
"Fenn formed a connection with the two young men and dedicated the next six years of her life to ensuring their success," the Hollywood entertainment website Variety reported. "Sutton graduated from college and Crockett won a bronze medal at the 2012 Paralympic Games."
Here's Amazon.com's description of Fenn's yet-to-be-published memoir "Carry On": "In the spirit of 'The Blind Side' and 'Friday Night Lights' comes a tender and profoundly moving memoir about an ESPN producer's unexpected relationship with two disabled African-American wrestlers from inner city Cleveland, and how these bonds -- blossoming, ultimately, into a most unorthodox family -- would transform their lives."
Walden Media will develop, produce and finance the film. Mark Ciardi and Anthony Mastromauro will produce the Parker-written script and Campbell McInnes will act as executive producer.
Parker made Hollywood headlines in January when his film "Birth of a Nation" -- the story of Nat Turner, 1850s slave revolt leader -- debuted at Sundance in January and won the audience award and grand jury prize. Then the film Parker wrote, directed and starred in was acquired by Fox Searchlight Pictures for $17.5 million, a Sundance record.
Nate Parker has performed as an actor in a number of films, including "The Great Debaters." Prior to launching his Hollywood career, Parker was a Virginia state champion wrestler at prep powerhouse Great Bridge High School. He earned a scholarship to wrestle at Penn State, and became a starter. However, he left the school after he and a teammate were accused of having had non-consensual sex with a woman; he was acquitted in 2001.
Parker transferred to the University of Oklahoma, where he earned All-American honors by placing fifth in the 141-pound bracket at the 2002 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
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