Some Story

Usually the nightly news isn't good for much more than irritating me.

Tonight, however, this story broke the mold.

Keflezighi lived his first ten-years in Eritrea, an African nation ravaged by war. He remembers in the early 1980's his brothers hiding from marauding soldiers in the bush by his family's humble village. They had no electric lights and no running water. His father escaped the chaos by walking day and night 600 miles into neighboring Sudan.

For three-years his father worked menial jobs until he finally scraped up enough money to get his family out. Eventually they settled in San Diego.

"My dad is a very, very strong person. I get the attention just because of my running. But he's done a great job," says Keflezighi.

Today, his father drives a cab to support those in his family of ten still at home. The six oldest children have all gone to college — one is an engineer, another son has his MBA, and others are studying medicine and law. Then there’s Meb, the Olympian.

“I am proud. I'm very proud of my son,” says his father.

When people say that something cannot be done, think of Meb and his father.

Hurdles can be set very high. Yet, sometimes we are limited by nothing more than our imagination and our dreams.

Comments

[Tom]

Wow, remind me never to complain about anything ever again.

[Tom]

and now he won silver - amazing

[Peg K]

Yes it is, Tom. But what impresses me about this story is it is such a clear example of the power we all have within us.

Here was a man, Meb's father, who faced almost unsurmountable odds of poverty and strife in his country of origin - not to mention having a large family for whom he needed to provide.

With huge amounts of determination, strength and hard work, however, he made it to this country and provided a mindboggling superior life for his children.

A tale of what one individual can accomplish - and how great this nation is that it provides such opportunities to people.

YAY!