Book excerpt: Chris—born Lazarus—had to contend with everything from abuse to assault and attempted murder growing up. Whether it was his birth mother, his foster families, or adoptive parents, no one seemed to care about him or want him. Even the police were not on his side: At age sixteen, he was arrested for defending himself against abuse. He spent birthdays and holidays alone in a group home, thinking of ways to end his life. Everyone told him he would end up in jail or dead. But at the group home, he met some people who changed his life. They put him in check, gave him love, taught him about basketball—and even took him to get a haircut and bought him sneakers. While the odds were stacked against Chris, he beat them. This is the story of how he kept fighting and never let his past dictate his future.