There are two things young Jonathan Anthony Russo loves: football and girls. These help him deal with his dysfunctional family: his mother, a drunk and cocaine user; his father, a wannabe gangster; and seven older sisters whom he despises. Hes been a fairly happy-go-lucky kid until hes raped and beaten at age ten. This tragedy affects the choices he makes in life. During his teenage years, Jonathan is broken, bruised, and berated at the hands of everyone he encounters. As he battles his past, he takes on the very demons he tried to run from. Choosing not to be a victim anymore, he leaves in his wake 234 dead bodies. Despite the blood on his hands, there is a possibility for redemption. Jonathan just wants to do whats right and protect himself and those he loves, no matter the cost. A coming-of-age story, Yet Still I Stand, offers insight into the mind of a mass murder while following the story of one boys struggles to overcome his violent, dysfunctional childhood.