Carter Ray; he had everything pretty much made for him. He had a loving family, great friends, great coach, but most of all, he was a natural at wrestling. It was his senior year and he had yet to win state. But he was sure that this would be the year to take the state title home.

Carter’s goal was to win the state title, he wanted to be the first one in his family. It was the start of a new season and he was itching to get in the wrestling room. Now Carter was the captain of the Appleton Wildcats wrestling team, smart in school and got straight A’s every year. But most of Carter's time went into wrestling. His dad used to joke around and say he devotes 95% of his time into wrestling and the rest of his time into friends, family and school.

Carter had a little brother named Jake ray. Now Jake looked up to Carter in every way possible. Mostly because Jake was just about the exact opposite of Carter, he wasn’t very smart, wasn’t very popular and was on the heavier side. He was in 8th grade and weighed 185 pounds, and Carter being a senior was the 152 pounder. So Jake already was heavier than him. Jake was teased; teased every day in school he would be called fatty and stupid. Jake wasn’t really all that violent so he just took most of the lashings. One night Carter was going to the wrestling room to do a little work out. Jake really wanted to go but carter being crabby from cutting weight snapped at him really hard and said no. So Jake went into his room. Carter ate a granola bar and left. He was in the wrestling room practicing on the practice dummy when his coach walked in. He said, “Carter, I have some…well some bad news for you carter” Carter said, “What is it coach did Johnson cut down to 52? Because I'm pretty sure I can beat him this year!” His coach said, “No carter….it’s your brother” “What about him?” Carter asked. “He is dead carter.” Carter just stared. “He was found dead in his room an hour ago….he…he shot himself carter” “Your mother called me, she told me what happened with you and him before you left.” Carter was on his knees now. He was starting to tear up a little bit. “She told me that it was best that you here this from me.” Said coach. He left you this note, Carter read it out loud, “I just wanted to be like you,” was all that was written. Carter really lost it then. He was face down in the mat all out sobbing. His coach walked over, “Come on, you can stay at my house tonight.” Because coach knew that it would be too horrific for him to go home.


When they got to his coaches house, he just sat on the coach. Coach's wife offered to make him something to eat, but he was too depressed. Carter just played the last words he said to his little brother over and over again. He wished that somehow, someway he could go back in time and change what he had done. The next day when he got home there was a funeral director at his house. Carter went straight up to his room. He sat there for the rest of the day. The next morning his dad came up to his room. He asked him if he wanted to talk about anything that had happened. Carter said, "I just wish there was a way to take it all back. I just hate myself for doing that to this family, but more importantly him, I just wish had another chance." His dad said, "Well Carter, sometimes there isn't any second chances in life." Fast forwarding now, to jakes funeral. Carter made the speech and they had a beautiful service. There were plenty of tears shed that day….

It was the middle of February now, and Carter was in the wrestling room practicing his shots. It has been 4 months sense Jakes passing. It was the night before the big sectional match; he was number 1 seed and was ready to go. Coach walked in, "You ready to go?" he said. Carter responded, "I have never been more ready." The next day he stomped his way through the tournament, only getting 3 points scored on him the whole day. He trained hard for his state title and now it was closer to him than ever before, he was ready to go. After he won his state title he dedicated his title to his little brother who was now watching over him.