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Former US presidents, football managers and Olympic athletes were among those paying tribute to Dikembe Mutombo following his death, hailing a man who leaves a legacy beyond the boundaries of a basketball court for those who follow in his giant footsteps.
Shortly after the announcement of the 58-year-old’s death from brain cancer on Monday, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Vincent Kompany and Allyson Felix all praised his kindness and humanitarian work on social media.
Clinton, who served as US President from 1993 to 2001, acclaimed Mutombo’s “unshakeable commitment to helping people everywhere”, while Bayern Munich coach Kompany described him as a “legend of the Democratic Republic of Congo” who has “inspired and given hope to an entire generation of young Congolese people all over the world”.
The tributes encapsulated the way National Basketball Association (NBA) legend Mutombo grasped the wealth and opportunities of his new home in the USA during an 18-year playing career while remaining true to his African roots and dedicating his time to helping others.
“Each one of us has a calling,” Mutombo said in 2019.
“My compassion has always been to improve the living conditions of people around the world.
“I can use my voice, my height and a little bit of my money to make the world a better place.”
With his 7ft 2in (2.18m) frame and size 22 feet, Mutombo certainly stood out and his pronounced, gravelly voice meant he was a man who demanded attention when he spoke.
Born in Kinshasa in June 1966, Mutombo moved to the United States in 1987 to study medicine at Georgetown University, but eventually switched courses to concentrate on his fledgling basketball career.
Described as a “humanitarian at his core” by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Mutombo’s charitable work began during his playing days with the formation of the foundation bearing his name in Atlanta in 1997.
His move to the city the previous year, when he joined the Atlanta Hawks, proved to be a pivotal moment according to former Hawks general manager Pete Babcock.
“That first summer we signed him, he was buying school buses and shipping…
Source link : https://www.yahoo.com/news/heart-gold-mutombos-humanitarian-legacy-174427997.html
Author : BBC
Publish date : 2024-10-01 17:44:27
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