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Wes Moore escaped a rough-and-tumble childhood to become a model of achievement. Decorated combat veteran. White House Fellow. Business leader. Just after he learned he’d won a Rhodes Scholarship1 in late 2000, he also learned about another Wes Moore, who would soon be sentenced to life in prison. Michele Norris talks to Wes Moore the achiever — and now author of The Other Wes Moore — about his journey of discovery and friendship.
MELISSA BLOCK, host: From NPR News, this is All Things Considered. I’m Melissa Block.
MICHELE NORRIS, host: And I’m Michele Norris.
And we’re going to spend some time considering the notion of fate and the destinies who share one name, Wes Moore. The first Wes Moore escaped a rough-and-tumble childhood to become a model of achievement, decorated combat veteran, White House Fellow, business leader.
Just after that Wes Moore learned he’d won a Rhodes Scholarship in late 2000, he also learned about another Wes Moore, who would soon be sentenced to life in prison for his role in a botched jewelry store robbery that resulted in the death of an off-duty police officer.
The stories of both Wes Moores were chronicled in the Baltimore Sun. Wes Moore the achiever was so rattled by the coincidence he eventually wrote a letter to Wes Moore, the prisoner. The resulting correspondence led to a journey of discovery and friendship and a book published this week. It’s called The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates
