Antwone Fisher: Finding Fish

Rebirth With J.R. Martinez

Antwone Fisher was born in prison to a single mother and grew up in foster care before joining the United States Navy. Antwone had a hard life and spent 14 years of his childhood being abused physically, verbally, and sexually by his foster parents. His life story has been made into a movie where Denzel Washington plays him. Antwone shares a little bit about his journey and how he came to find a new extended family later in his life, and what a blessing his wife has been in his life throughout the last 25+ years.

Key Takeaways

• Antwone spent 11 years in the Navy.
• Who is Antwone and where did he grow up?
• Antwone was told he was dyslexic so he spent extra time learning new words, this is how he first fell in love with words and the writing process.
• Antwone learned in the Navy that he can teach himself anything.
• Antwone received a check for $250k, but being dyslexic, he originally thought it was 2,500 dollars.
• What was it like growing up in foster care? What does Antwone think about the foster care system in the United States?
• Who is Antwone’s favorite social worker and mentor? Here’s what it matters to care about another individual, no matter how small the act might seem.
• JR shares why it’s important that men cry it out sometimes. It’s not a weakness.
• What was it like watching the Antwone Fisher film for the very first time?
• Antwone had doubts about talking about his story, in both his book and in the film, but when people had such a positive reaction to it, he realized the impact he had made on other people’s lives.
• Antwone shares a little bit about his wife and how he knew right away that she was the one for him.
• Why did Antwone want to look for his father?

• Antwone’s discovery allowed him to find and meet an entire extended family he did not know existed.

• Little did Antwone know. A lot of his extended family lived right around the corner from where he grew up in foster care and where he was getting abused by his foster family. It was surreal.
• Antwone met his mother and didn’t think much of it… until he got on a plane to go back home.
• People who have been through a lot don’t feel the need to sugarcoat things. Antwone’s mother told him she did not want him and that’s why she did not go back for him when he was in foster care.
• So many families don’t have a clear line of leadership. Antwone explains what he means.
• Antwone shares some of the leadership mistakes he made early in his military career.

Continue On Your Journey

Antwonefisher.net

Antwone Fisher film

JRmartinez.com

J.R. on Instagram

J.R. on Facebook

J.R. on Twitter

J.R. Youtube Channel

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