My family and I met Ray Leathers and his family a little over a year ago at the Junior High States. My son Wesley who is 13 and wrestles at Carrington Middle School has wrestling in his blood. He competed at the NC Jr. High School States and won the silver in the 160-weight class. He wanted to wrestle off-season and I guess that is where our story really starts.

Ray Leathers coaches the USA Wrestling affiliated Triangle Wrestling Club. Wesley began to go to the club and under the guidance of Coach Leathers he continues to excel at the sport of wrestling. During this past year five of the club's wrestlers qualified for nationals, they were Demario Leathers, Wesley Thompson, Marquee Leathers, Joe Walker and Mario Paylor. At the NC State games his whole team placed in the top two.

Mario Paylor is also on the Northern Durham High School Wrestling team. When talking about Ray, Mario states, "I enjoy working with Ray, he pushes you to be the best you can be. He always gets you up before a match."

For a long time I never knew that Ray was sick. He is always so upbeat and happy. Only when he missed a practice did I find out that Ray was indeed very ill.

Let me tell you a little about a man named Ray Leathers. He was raised in Durham, NC. He graduated from Northern Durham High School in 1986. He has been married to his wife Linda for 14 years. He has two sons: Marquee age 15, who is a sophomore at Northern Durham High School, and Demario age 11, who is in the 6th grade at Carrington Middle School. He has fostered two nieces and one nephew for two years during their parent's illness.

Ray loves working with kids. He volunteers his time and energy to helping young men become better people, not just better wrestlers. Ray believes "that through hard work and total dedication you can achieve great things in the sport of wrestling; the lessons learned in wrestling will help make wrestlers become productive citizens." Ray also volunteers his time to the Northern Durham High School's wrestling team under Head Coach Daryl Bradshaw.

When speaking with Coach Bradshaw he only has great things to say about Ray. "During the past 3 years that I have worked with Ray Leathers I have never once heard him complain or seen him feeling sorry for himself given all he is facing. He is an amazing person who is not just an asset to wrestling but to the whole community."

"Coach Leathers is one of the greatest additions to the Northern wrestling family," says Mario Paylor when he talks about his Coach Ray Leathers.

During the past year he also volunteered to help coach the Carrington Middle School football team under Head Coach Hines, despite the fact that he has no children playing that sport. Coach Hines asked for his help and he says Ray "didn't even hesitate to help out, he fit right in with the kids and the other coaches. He has that special something that it takes."

Ray does indeed have that special something that only a few coaches have that kids respond to, he earns their respect and instills the good work ethics of hard work and good sportsmanship that will carry on later in their lives. No matter how ill Ray is feeling he has a fantastic attitude and never complains. He always has a smile on his face and an encouraging word for the kids.

Everyone you meet will tell you what a good man he is and how much of an inspiration he is to him or her. Ray will tell you that he loves not just the sport of wrestling but loves the kids he works with. He never hesitates to help one of the kids with whatever it is they need to accomplish, staying late after practice to help one of them work on a move or just to give them a pep talk when things are looking down at a match. He lets them know that winning is not everything it's how you play that counts. He goes beyond the call of duty when it comes to "his kids", only missing a practice or tournament when he is just too physically ill to get out of bed.

Now to tell you a little about Ray's wrestling career and his love of wrestling. Ray began to wrestle in Jr. High School in the ninth grade under Coach Hines where he was conference champ. Coach Hines says Ray was "the hardest worker on the team". His career continued at Northern Durham High School under Sonny Inskip. During his High School career Ray placed 4th and 3rd in the Jim King Orange Invitational. A tradition his son Marquee now carries on when he placed 4th in the tournament in 2001. Ray was a 2-time state and regional qualifier as well as placing in the top 3 in the area conference each year. Ray continued wrestling off-season freestyle throughout high school and beyond with USA Wrestling. He started coaching at Carrington assisting Coach Phil Hines in 1993. Then he went on to the local Pin to Win wrestling club, going on to establish the Triangle Wrestling club 3 years ago.

Ray was diagnosed in 1989 with diabetes and in 1999 had to stop working due to complications from his disease. Due to the progression of his diabetes he is suffering from kidney failure and has been placed on the national kidney transplant list. He will also need a pancreas transplant 6 months after he receives a new kidney. His brother Charles Leathers is a compatible kidney donor.

Due to the high cost of the anti rejection medication after surgery he is required to raise funds to cover the cost of the medication. I am seeking help from the wrestling community, having faith that they will come together to help one of their own. All donations will be tax deductible and used only for the cost of medications and medical bills that he will incur.