"RELENTLESS: The Story of Dax Crum As Told By His Father Richard Crum," by Richard and Dax Crum, Bonneville Books, $13.99, 192 pages (nf)
Dax Crum showed his mettle early on. Even when he was a young boy, people around him recognized his determination, competitiveness and athletic skill, his older-than-his-years wisdom and sheer joy for life — all of which nearly overshadowed the fact that Dax was born with only one hand.
His father gives a sometimes deeply personal, overwhelmingly inspiring view of Dax’s life in the recently released "Relentless: The Story of Dax Crum As Told By His Father Richard Crum."
It’s the story of how Dax dealt with his handicap early on, how he endured countless trials and obstacles and, ultimately, how he ended up becoming the first NCAA Division I basketball player with only one hand to earn a full-ride scholarship and how he went on to earn a starting position and to inspire his many fans at Southern Utah University.
Dax Crum could have pursued soccer instead. While he led his New Mexico high school basketball team to three state championships in a row and finished with a start in his region’s all-star game, he also made a name for himself in soccer, and it was soccer that ultimately earned him a full-ride scholarship to Arizona Western College in Yuma, Ariz.
Yet, as his father writes in "Relentless," “to Dax basketball was more intense and fun. … Basketball seems more challenging, which heightened his eagerness and provided a chance to prove himself.”
In addition to telling of Dax’s success, "Relentless" is the story of the relationship Richard and Dax share. That relationship was fostered early on and cemented on the basketball court, when Richard was a coach to his son. They heavily relied on that relationship when they faced losing Dax’s mother, Valerie, then, just a handful of years later, when they dealt with the passing of Richard’s second wife, Kristi Sherwood Crum.
“We’ve always been a team,” Richard says. “He calls me his ‘rebounder.’”
Even the writing of "Relentless" was a “fun father-son project for the last few years,” Dax says.
The book ends with a statement of encouragement for all. It’s a statement Dax has learned to live by: “Life will never be fair. Heroic actions come from committed players. Make the commitment, play the game and win.”
Dax now lives in Salt Lake City, where he is a manager for Wells Fargo Bank and assistant basketball coach at Davis High School. He and his wife, Ashley, are expecting their first child.
Cecily Markland is a freelance writer, book editor, publicist and author of "Hope: One Mile Ahead" and the children’s book "If I Made a Bug." She owns Inglestone Publishing and produces a calendar of LDS events in Arizona (www.cecilymarkland.com).