by Thomas Pierce

We did it. After two weeks of gas station groceries and late-night drives, we reached our final destination: Phoenix. Once in town, we headed first to Camelback Mountain for a view of the city — an endless sea of neighborhoods, parking lots, cacti, and shopping centers.


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In getting here, we didn't take the straightest path (thus the 3500 miles), and we definitely did not stick to our original itinerary. When a compelling suggestion arrived in our inbox, we altered our route, sometimes driving hours out of the way.

And I think the NPR road crew learned quite a bit by talking to people between Chicago and Phoenix. One thing I learned is that I don't especially like rattlesnakes. But we also learned that when it comes to leadership, presidential candidates aren't always the first examples that pop into peoples' heads. Our mission was to talk to folks about who they look up to and who makes a difference in their lives.

At the Gary Railcats baseball stadium, Deborah Lewis said she looked up to her mother, who's suffering from Alzheimers.

Glenn Morrison, a fiddler in the Ozarks, said his friend, Martin Darell, was a leader in the movement to preserve old fiddle tunes.

Mike Morrow named his dad, Bob, who has served his tiny town as a dentist and mayor and coroner.

Keith Bolt credits Izola White, a Chicago restaurant-owner, as the person who helped him turn his life around and start his own business.

Bayou Bob Popplewell named T. Boone Pickens. Ferry boat captain Kevin Nolle named Ted Nugent and Jesus.

We thank all of those who were willing to share their lives with us along the way. And we also thank all of you who wrote to nominate leaders in your life.