SN Daniel ‘Rudy’ Ruettiger, U.S. Navy, Notre Dame Football Walk-On

Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger grew up in a house of 14 children and his his connection with his father, a World War II veteran, was watching Notre Dame football. Rudy’s dream was to play for the Fighting Irish. But his high school athetic career did not merit attention from Notre Dame and he says his grades weren’t good enough to get accepted there either.

So a co-worker encouraged him to join the Navy. Rudy says his time in the U.S. Navy changed his life and made his Notre Dame dream possible.

In this edition of “Veteran’s Chronicles,” Ruettiger tells us about his time in the Navy, including trips to Guantanamo Bay and serving on a destroyer in the Mediterranean Sea during the Vietnam era. He explains how a conversation with an officer who graduated from Notre Dame rekindled his dream to play football. 

He then shares the tough road to get accepted into Notre Dame, how the GI Bill paid for his academic journey to get there and how his military service helped him to connect with both football coaches for the Fighting Irish.

Finally, Ruettiger walks us through life as a walk-on and the dramatic events that led to him taking the field, getting in the game, and recording a tackle in his one play from scrimmage. And he’ll reveal what was real in the movie “Rudy” and where the filmmakers took some dramatic license.

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Veterans Chronicles