natenator
24-06-2010, 12:42 PM
In a world where rich, self important, prima donna cry baby athletes have become anointed and celebrated in our culture with "god-like" status I think it's important to recognize the life and efforts of Manute Bol - a man larger than life who, it seemed, could have reached up and touched god himself.
7'7" and a late-bloomer to the game of Basketball having only learned to play at the age of 18 became the best shot blocker in all of NBA history. Kind and gentle and willing to do absolutely anything for charity.
Celebrated as a Basketball player in North America but hailed as a hero in his home country of Sudan where his foundation Sundan Sunrise was established with a dream of building reconciliation schools. He donated all his money to charity. Not some of this money, not a portion of his money. ALL of his money. A life and a dream was given to him and he felt it was his obligation to repay it by giving something of himself back.
Bol died of a rare skin condition and kidney failure at the age of 47 this past weekend.
RIP gentle giant!
http://www.sudansunrise.org/Manute,%20Gorbachev,%20Bud%20McFarlane.jpg
7'7" and a late-bloomer to the game of Basketball having only learned to play at the age of 18 became the best shot blocker in all of NBA history. Kind and gentle and willing to do absolutely anything for charity.
Celebrated as a Basketball player in North America but hailed as a hero in his home country of Sudan where his foundation Sundan Sunrise was established with a dream of building reconciliation schools. He donated all his money to charity. Not some of this money, not a portion of his money. ALL of his money. A life and a dream was given to him and he felt it was his obligation to repay it by giving something of himself back.
Bol died of a rare skin condition and kidney failure at the age of 47 this past weekend.
RIP gentle giant!
http://www.sudansunrise.org/Manute,%20Gorbachev,%20Bud%20McFarlane.jpg