Riley Hunter appears to live the dream, with plenty of friends, money, and a coveted position on his university's hockey team. But inwardly, Riley still struggles to come to terms with his guilt over a dark past that left his former best friend and teammate paralyzed. When he learns he's about to fail sociology, Riley agrees to his teacher's special assignment in a desperate attempt to save his grade: assist a ninety-year-old Holocaust survivor at his home and see what he can learn. As the true story about his elderly new charge unfolds, Riley learns that the man spent time in a World War II concentration camp because of his sexuality, not his religion. Soon Riley evolves from a naive young freshman into a compassionate young man who finally learns to take control of his own life through the inspiration of a man who lost control of his.