The small city of Bruceton, Tennessee is located midway between Nashville and Memphis. Population is 15,000.
If you research Bruceton, there only is one “Notable Person” listed among its former and current residents: “Patrick Willis, former NFL linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers”.
When the item is next updated, the entry should more accurately read: “Patrick Willis, former NFL linebacker AND Children’s Book Author.”
Yes, the 41-year old Willis, who retired in 2014, wrote a children’s book earlier this year. Its title describes his life’s experience so far: “Patrick Willis: Journey to the Hall of Fame.” Willis indeed was enshrined in Canton in 2024.
Patrick’s 36-page, illustrated autobiography is described by its publisher as “…a drive for young people to set, achieve and create new goals. His journey is a reminder that where you start doesn’t determine where you finish.”
Willis’ life growing up in Bruceton was a difficult one for him.
“I had trouble reading,“ Willis recalls. “I also had trouble really speaking. I felt like I didn’t belong. I thought I was inadequate to the other kids. There were some times when I just didn’t know if I had it in me. But deep down, I remember what I’d tell myself as a kid: ‘I just wanted to be special. When I got the opportunity to be special, I wouldn’t leave it hanging’.”
Willis did not leave it hanging as he matured. He attended Ole Miss and was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2006. The Niners selected him on the first round of the 2007 Draft, and he was Defensive Rookie of the Year.
We at NFL Alumni congratulate our brother Patrick Willis on his children’s book and for addressing the concerns and insecurities that many youngsters have. He is serving as a true inspiration for many of them.
