SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Sports is a way of life for Patrick Fisher. 

“I always watched sports when I was little I always played sports video games," he said. "And I always liked to be out of the house so I always wanted to be active.” 

A two-sport athlete at Corcoran high school, playing football and basketball has shown him lifelong skills. 

“It taught me about respect, it taught me how to go about situations, it taught me how to really have teamwork, work with each other and work with people," Fisher said. 

Basketball is intertwined with togetherness and comradery. As you set up a play or defense you have to work together to be successful. That skill goes beyond sports. 

“If you’re all not on the same page, that's how you lose control," said Fisher. "You gotta be on the same page so you know what you’re doing and knowing the objective of the event or anything that you gotta be doing."

But sports can be cruel. Late last year Fisher tore his ACL playing football. 

“[It was] a long very depressing long journey," he said. 

One play and what he loves to do was taken away from him. 

“I really couldn’t do nothing, I just felt depressed and I was away from sports," Fisher said. "I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t even use the crutches like that so it was very hard for me.” 

The saying is what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. He’s overcoming that obstacle and isn’t taking anything for granted. 

“My chance could be taken that quick away from me again," said Fisher. "I tore my ACL, it could happen right again I could lose my chance so quick. So I gotta take advantage of my chance and really just gotta work hard.”

According to the United States Census Bureau, Syracuse has one of the highest poverty rates in the U.S. For people in underserved communities, sports give them a chance to get away and do something that makes them happy. 

“You put them in a positive environment, positive family, doing something that they love to do," said Nathan Pena, the Executive Director of Pass da R.O.C.K. "It kinda helps them focus their energy on something positive. It takes kind of their attention away from all the negativity and kinda gives them something to look forward to.” 

“I just wanna be different," Fisher said. "So sports mean a lot to me because it's a way out of being sucked into like a bad community or something like that or a bad situation. Sports is like my easy way to cope with things."

As he nears a return to games, Fisher is taking the lessons he’s learned playing sports and applying them to all facets of his life. 

“The way I’m in sports is the way I gotta be outside," he said. "I gotta portray that image."