Have you ever felt that you’re wandering around in life without a purpose? This is a struggle that Louis Zamperini faced as detailed in the book Unbroken. Louie had a childhood full of mischief and struggled to find a purpose in life. However, his older brother introduced him to running which turned Louis Zamperini’s life around.
Louis Silvie Zamperini was born on January 26, 1917, in Olean, New York to Italian immigrants. From the moment he could walk nothing could hold Louie down. If his mother didn’t have him squirming in her arms, she usually had no idea where he was. When he was only two years old, he climbed out his bedroom window and went on a “naked tear” down the street. Moving to sunny California did not change Louie’s behavior. There always seemed to be either police or some neighbor on their front porch with a report of Louie’s latest escapade. However, in 1931 Louis discovered running which would take him down a more promising path.
When the principal found out about Louie’s latest prank involving giving out free basketball tickets, “he punished him by making him ineligible for athletic and social activities.”(Unbroken, pg. 13) Louie didn’t care as he never joined anything anyway. But, when his older brother Pete found out, he went to the principal and told him if he let Louie join a team he could put his mischievous energy to good use. The principal agreed.
Pete had grand plans for Louie which would lead him to graduate with varsity letters for many sports, ”Pete would force Louie to train every day riding his bike behind him whacking him with a stick.” (Unbroken, pg. 14) Louie hated running but loved the applause. At the end of his first season, he became the first student from Torrance to make the All-City Finals where he finished fifth. He would only get better from there.
Louie would soon get the chance to run in the Olympic qualifying race. With very little training he tied for first place. Running had given Louie Zamperini a purpose and goal in life. This purpose would lead him to run in the 1936 Olympics and straight into Nazi Germany.