In 2006, 23-year-old Raisin was on his way to an impressive cycling career when a bad crash sent him into a coma, necessitating emergency brain surgery. Doctors told Raisin's frantic parents he probably wouldn't make it, and that if he did, he'd be confined to bed, "or at best a wheelchair for the rest of his life." What follows is Raisin's long, miraculous, tear-jerking fight back to the cycling arena. Hospitalized in France for 28 days, Raisin finally returns to America and his Georgia home to begin his recovery; one of the peculiarities of his brain injury is that even while actively recovering, his brain would not process the extent of his injuries: "My wonderful life has somehow become scrambled beyond repair." In an especially moving passage, Raisin discovers for the first time exactly what happened to him and the severity of his injuries by Googling his name. Determined to win back what he lost, Raisin sets his own stakes: "They said I could never walk, so I say I will run. They said I could never ride a bike, so I say I'll compete in another race." Stilted dialog, especially in the first half, tends to distract, as do occasional, unnecessary tangents (e.g., doping, Lance Armstrong), but not enough to keep this memorable story of personal and family crisis from engaging and inspiring.
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Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
Unbelivable story of an athlete that comes back from a injury that many would not have survived. Saul has amazing stamina and is a rider that has the potential to win many major races and to come back from this injury in this sport is simply stunning. Having raced bikes myself at a high level, I know how hard it can be...
A huge difference between Lance's situation and Saul's is that his team stood behind him. Armstrong did not get that support. Kudos to Credit Agricole for being there for him, and for his family.
Dave Shield's telling of this story and depending on the recollections of Saul, his parents, and all the other people involved had to be extremely difficult. Shields tells it like he was sitting in the room.
I was lucky to get a copy that both Shields and Raisin signed...when Saul wins the Tour de France, it'll be a treasured item.
Bike racing's all about being able to suffer. Saul knows what real suffering is like. It can change your whole persepctive.
Go Saul...Raisin Hell.
