Samr “Rocky” Tayeh before and after his surgery

NEW YORK, NY November 09, 2009 —Tune in this week as WNYC celebrates the 10-year anniversary of Radio Rookies. We are checking in with some former Rookies to hear what’s going on in their lives now and a rebroadcast of the hour special "Growing Up, Getting By."

Today we hear from Samr “Rocky” Tayeh, who first went on the radio in 2003 to report on his life as an obese teenager. Since then, Rocky had weight loss surgery and dropped 300 pounds. Now he’s trying out some of the things that were impossible for someone so overweight, like learning how to ride a bike.

Rocky's first Radio Rookies story aired in Fall 2003 and can be heard here.

His second was in Spring 2007 and can be heard here.