Who Says I Can't

The Astonishing Story of a Fearless Life

Rob Mendez

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Hardback

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English

Harper Horizon
30 January 2023

Memoirs; Coping with disability; American football

On paper, Coach Rob Mendez sounds like any other football coach on any other field across America: passionate, authoritative, knowledgeable. But he’s unlike any other coach you know--in fact, he’s probably unlike any other person you know.

Born with an extraordinarily rare condition called tetra-Amelia syndrome, Rob has no arms or legs. He moves with the assistance of a custom-made, motorized wheelchair that he operates with his back and shoulders.

Many people look at Rob and see limitation, yet Rob sees opportunity: Opportunity to pursue his passion for football. Opportunity to change the way people perceive physical disability. Opportunity to serve as a role model for the hundreds of kids he’s coached over the years.

Told with both humor and frankness, Who Says I Can’t takes readers on Rob’s incredible journey, from his birth to loving parents who wanted to afford him every chance for happiness, to the emotional and physical hurdles he faced while seeking independence, to receiving the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the ESPY Awards in 2019.

Each day, Coach Rob rolls onto the field and shows his players that dreams are achievable when you show up, do the work, and believe in yourself. And after reading this book you, too, will believe that anything is possible.

By: Rob Mendez
Imprint: Harper Horizon
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 223mm, Width: 148mm, Spine: 27mm
Weight: 344g
ISBN: 9780785239406
ISBN 10: 0785239405
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 30 January 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Coach Rob Mendez sounds like any other football coach on any other field across America: passionate, authoritative, knowledgeable. But he is like no other coach you know. Rob was born with an extraordinarily rare condition called tetra-amelia syndrome. He has no arms or legs. He moves with the assistance of a custom-made, motorized wheelchair that he operates with his back and shoulders, and diagrams football plays on a smartphone, using a stylus that he maneuvers at lightning speed with his mouth. A lifelong sports fan, Rob grew up watching San Francisco 49ers games with his family, and later learned the intricacies of the game by playing endless hours of Madden football video games. And that is just one aspect of his incredible story. Rob was the manager of his high school football team in Gilroy, California, and became an assistant coach shortly after graduating. He was a fixture on the Bay Area high school football coaching scene for more than a dozen years before moving to Southern California. He is currently the head junior varsity coach at a high school near San Diego. A busy and accomplished motivational speaker, as well as a successful coach, Rob has been the subject of dozens of profiles in national media, as well as the ESPN documentary short feature, Who Says I Can't? The film was nominated for a 2019 Emmy Award and was entered in the Tribeca Film Festival. In the summer of 2019 Rob was named the winner of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the ESPY Awards. After more than thirty years, he continues to beat the odds and serve as an inspiration for people worldwide who are facing adversity.

Reviews for Who Says I Can't: The Astonishing Story of a Fearless Life

'Coach Rob's story of overcoming adversity to achieve his dreams reminds us of the power we have as individuals to inspire those around us.' - DONALD DRIVER, Green Bay Packers All-Time Leading Receiver, Super Bowl Champion, Dancing with the Stars Champion and New York Times Bestselling Author 'As the person who spent a full year with Rob documenting his every move for our ESPN documentary, I was shocked at how much more I learned about Rob and his journey. To anyone who has ever doubted themselves -- Rob's memoir is a must read!' - KRISTEN LAPPAS, Producer/Director ESPN FILMS 'Even as ESPN and other media began to take an interest in Mendez's life, he emphasizes that, though his circumstances were extraordinary, he's more than just 'a limbless man who also happen[s] to be a football coach.' Readers will be riveted by this inspiring story.' -- Publishers Weekly 'Who Says I Can't inspires us all to push through setbacks and never give up on our dreams.' - TOM BRADY, Seven-Time Super Bowl Champion, Four-Time Super Bowl MVP, Three-Time NFL MVP 'Born without limbs, this inspiring author shares tales from his life as a high-school football coach in the Bay Area. Now 32, Mendez became well known in 2019, when ESPN released a documentary about him, Who Says I Can't? Supported by remarkable parents who help him focus on what he can do, he doesn't dwell on how he needs help with everyday tasks. He knows that he's never going to be able to play football, but he sure can coach it and help young people realize their potential. Mendez's success earns him ESPN's Jimmy V Award, named after Jimmy Valvano, the North Carolina State basketball coach and TV broadcaster who was known for perseverance. Like Valvano, Mendez believes people need to do three things every day--laugh, think, and cry (tears of happiness count). 'Crying means you care,' he says. Mendez also writes about how he turns to the Bible for guidance. This memoir is also a love letter to football as Mendez clearly adores its intricacies along with the young players who embrace him and the sport.' * Booklist *