FLM: I had the pleasure of watching your inspirational story. Describe how your life has changed since it aired on ESPN?
Dartanyon: It’s changed in a lot of different ways, especially by opening up the opportunities in judo. I’ve also been able to meet a lot of people along the way. A lot of people may know my story, but only bits and pieces of it. They may remember that I’m a wrestler from Cleveland, Lisa is just a white woman involved somehow, and Leroy has no legs. But they always mix up our relationship. For example, they thought that Lisa was my wife and Leroy was our adopted son. Or that she worked Showtime and not ESPN. It’s kind of silly, but interesting what they took away from the story. In some cases, I have been treated a little differently. One night I was out with my friend and our drinks were paid for all night. There were literally a line of people waiting to buy us drinks. That was something that I had not experienced before so I really didn’t know what to do besides order a bunch of Guinness.
FLM: Your struggles growing up in Cleveland included being homeless and often moving from place to place. Many people can’t comprehend living such an unstable life. Where did you find the strength to keep going?
Dartanyon: A lot of what kept me going was failure and disappointment. I was so upset with my situation I knew that I wanted something better and needed something better. I didn’t have great examples growing up that you can achieve great things. I wasn’t told by many people that I had potential. However, when people did tell me about my potential I really didn’t know how to receive that advice, because I was just really angry with everything that was going on in my life. But overall it was seeing how disappointed I was with my life that moved me forward.
FLM: Tell me about that moment in your life when you realized that there was hope for you to move beyond those struggles that you were experiencing as a kid.
Dartanyon: A lot of my life I felt that I was backed into a corner on the losing end of the battle. It was when I joined the wrestling team that I began to see that maybe there was potential for me. When I won my first match in my first wrestling tournament I saw that I could win. Winning in a difficult sport such as wrestling helped me to realize that I could win in my personal life as well. My outlook changed pretty significantly in that regard. I had a realization that it was possible that I could accomplish great things. I started stepping out of my comfort zone and decided to try new things as a result.
FLM: Leroy Sutton has an incredible story as well and it appears that you guys have an unbreakable bond. Explain how your relationship has evolved since you two were in high school.
Dartanyon: Our relationship really hasn’t changed. Of course it’s only gotten stronger though. The way we treat each other, hangout and the way things are, we’re still the same. We don’t talk as much, because our schedules are totally different. We live in different places, but for the most part our relationship is still the same. It’s all great.