The dream gets better

[Marrah_G]

Source: NBC

DALIAN, China (AP) -- Eight years ago, Lopez Lomong didn't even have a country. Now he'll be carrying the flag for his adopted nation, leading the U.S. Olympic team at opening ceremonies Friday night.

Lomong, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, won a vote of team captains Wednesday to earn the honor of leading America's contingent into the 90,000-seat Bird's Nest Stadium. The 1,500-meter track runner will be the flagbearer only 13 months after becoming a U.S. citizen.

``It's more than a dream,'' Lomong said in an interview with The Associated Press moments after he got the news. ``I keep saying, I'm not sure if this is true or not true. I'm making the team and now I'm the first guy coming to the stadium and the whole world will be watching me carry the flag. There are no words to describe it.''

He was born in Sudan, separated from his parents at the point of a gun at age 6, and with the help of friends, he escaped confinement and made it to a refugee camp in Kenya. In 2001, he was brought to America as part of a program to relocate lost children from war-torn Sudan.



Read more: http://www.nbcolympics.com/trackandfield/news/newsid=178999.html#the+dre?GT1=39003

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What an amazing story. I hope if his parents are still alive they somehow see that their child survived and flourished.

[DavidDvorkin]

1. Damned immigrants! At least we know he'll never be president.

Grumble, grumble.

Better never change that part of the Constitution because, you know, Arnold Schwarzenegger! Arnold Schwarzenegger! Arnold Schwarzenegger!

[maddezmom]

2. He's been back to see his mom

Watched the HBO docu on it. :)

[Marrah_G]

5. Thanks Madd!

I'm going to have to look for the Documentary, He sounds like an amazing kid who's story could have ended so differently.

[OwnedByFerrets]

3. Yes, its a nice story.....

but I am boycotting the Chinese Olympics. Not that anyone cares, but it makes me feel better.

[DinahMoeHum]

4. Looks like the US athletes just gave the Chinese officials

a big poke in the eye, in the aftermath of the Chinese revoking the visa of former Olympic champion speedskater Joey Cheek for his activism on behalf of the Darfur victims.

:evilgrin:

[eilen]

6. In Tully (a local "farming" community) They just had a fundraiser

so his adoptive parents and his high school coach can attend the Olymics and watch him in person. They are amazing people, they adopted 5 Sudanese "lost boys" from the refugee camps. It is a great local story here as well. I guess I put farming in quotations as Tully has seen a lot of residential building. I'm glad they got to grow up there as it is a lovely place, very green and hilly -- they actually have a ski resort there. There are quite a number of refugees from different African nations hosted here.