As a young boy Louie got into countless fights, stole from every store within running distance, ran from cops every week, and never learned discipline ‘til he was a teenager. This is, obviously, a form of perseverance. Louie never gave up on his stealing, beating people up, and running.

                          Later, when Pete Zamperini, (Louie’s brother), saves Louie from expulsion, Louie starts his career as a runner. He begins rusty, not sure if he was a distance runner or sprinter. He soons starts gaining attention. Fast. Pun intended. Through all his races, he finished each once, never giving up, even when the other runners would cleat him, or the sun would burn him. Louie never gave up. He was invited to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he won 1st place out of the American runners one of the most insane finishes made by an Olympic athlete.

                          Not too long after, Louie joins the Air Force. He was part of a crew that flew a B-24, a barely functional bombing plane that his crew hated. They crash land in the middle of the ocean, only 3 of them survive. One of the survivors die, Louie and Phil, (the other two) survived for a total of 47 days. A record. They are then captured by the Japanese, and we learn about Louie’s riveting story at the multiple POW camps he stayed at. We learn about the horrid conditions they were forced to live and work in, and the many diseases that each prisoner captured during their time in the camps. Louie’s bravery and courage throughout his 2 years at the POW camps is truly amazing, and gives us a good image of him in our mind.