Few have grappled with life like Lengthy Seashore’s nationwide champion wrestler, Dunia Sibomana-Rodriguez.
The 18-year-old, College of North Carolina-bound prodigy nearly died as somewhat 6-year-old boy when a swarm of chimpanzees viciously attacked him in his native Democratic Republic of Congo.
“I used to be with my household, and so they got here out of nowhere,” he advised The Submit days after successful the Nationwide Excessive College Coaches Affiliation title at 123 kilos.
“All the things occurred fairly quick.”
The beasts killed each his brother and cousin, and Sibomana-Rodriguez was left extraordinarily disfigured. The primates mauled his face, bit off his left center finger, a part of his proper ear, destroyed a piece of his left forearm and left different scars throughout the poor little one’s physique.
“I’ve had about 16 surgical procedures now,” added Sibomana-Rodriguez, who speaks softly as a result of lasting harm round his mouth.
Life in Africa was exhausting sufficient earlier than the tragedy, as his impoverished household already struggled to make ends meet. Issues solely bought worse after turning into bodily deformed.
“He was despatched out to the road to beg for cash, to deliver cash into his home,” stated Lengthy Seashore assistant wrestling coach Miguel Rodriguez, Dunia’s adoptive father.
“These are a number of the issues that he needed to do as a toddler.”
Sibomana-Rodriguez got here to America for reconstructive surgical procedures a number of months after the harrowing incident and lived with foster households each on Lengthy Island and in Brooklyn.
“I form of simply needed to flow,” stated Sibomana-Rodriguez, whose delivery mother and father have since died.
As if he wasn’t completely different sufficient, the younger immigrant knew solely his native language, Swahili, when he first got here to America.
“It took a short while to slot in, meet folks and get folks to love me,” Sibomana-Rodriguez admitted.
That every one modified one fateful day on the South Shore over a decade in the past.
‘Grew to become greatest pals’
Sibomana-Rodriguez got here to Lengthy Seashore as a part of a program run by the native store Skudin Surf, which will get children with bodily and cognitive disabilities into the water.
It was the primary time he splashed within the ocean.
Miguel and his 2018 state champion heavyweight son, Elijah, have been working at a deli when a household buddy advised them that Sibomana-Rodriguez was down on the shore.
The duo on the time was taking care of one other younger wrestler, Isaiah Chook, who was born with out legs and defied the chances to succeed on the mat.
They have been all keen to satisfy Sibomana-Rodriguez after listening to of his plight.
“Isaiah pointed to his face and stated, ‘What occurred to your face?’ Dunia pointed to the place his legs could be and stated, ‘What occurred to your legs?’ ” Elijah recalled.
“They began taking part in. They went to the seaside. They went browsing collectively, and we turned pals after that.”
The Rodriguez clan formally adopted Sibomana-Rodriguez when he was in center faculty, and he has thrived within the household sport since fourth grade.
‘Acquired a number of love’
“Despite the fact that I didn’t know a lot about it, wrestling was simply the correct one for me,” he stated.
Sibomana-Rodriguez made the Marines varsity roster as an eighth grader and has since gained 5 Nassau County titles and three state championships on prime of his latest nationwide achievement, which he stated “meant loads” in his last yr of highschool after putting second in eleventh grade.
He dedicated to UNC as a junior and was simply named county wrestler of the yr for the second yr in a row this week.
“They are saying what makes a champion is what is completed when nobody is trying. He’s a real testomony of that,” Elijah stated.
“He’s the form of child that wakes up within the morning and does his exercises . . . is placing within the further work, not as a result of anybody advised him to, however as a result of he is aware of what it takes to be on the subsequent degree.”
It didn’t take lengthy for Lengthy Seashore to like Sibomana-Rodriguez, not simply as an athlete however as an individual, too.
“It’s a really small city. It’s a really loving city,” Miguel stated. “So wherever he went . . . he acquired a number of love, a number of consideration.”
All of the compassion and success gave the 5-foot-1 champ a real sense of self and happiness — he’s identified to do backflips after successful a match — from an early age.
“He began simply strolling round like a famous person. He’s strolling round saying hello to everybody, chest tall, assured, and, no matter the truth that he was somewhat child who regarded somewhat bit completely different than everybody else,” Elijah stated.
“He was simply on the market having enjoyable.”
‘A blessing’
Sibomana-Rodriguez additionally went from being held again a yr in second grade whereas studying English to a champion within the classroom, the place college and locals are additionally rooting for him.
“He doesn’t have a favourite topic; he has favourite academics who make exhausting courses his favourite courses . . . he’s bought a trainer who makes him love math,” stated Miguel.
“He made the excessive honor roll the primary and second semester of his senior yr.”
Together with making the Olympics sooner or later, Sibomana-Rodriguez desires of working in finance after faculty and maybe on Wall Road.
He’s turn out to be an inspiration to fellow Lengthy Seashore wrestlers, corresponding to his grappling companion, Tenth-grader Ethan Andreula.
“Dunia helps push me, beats me up typically,” stated Andreula, who positioned fourth in nationals this yr.
“Seeing him succeed on the best ranges makes me really feel joyful,” added Andreula.
Sibomana-Rodriguez and Elijah additionally coach youth wrestlers in Lengthy Seashore together with their dad, paying it ahead to the subsequent technology.
“I strive my greatest to be an excellent position mannequin for all of them and do the correct factor,” he stated.
“And ensure they’re doing the correct factor.”
Now the surf and sushi-loving Lengthy Island teen faces his subsequent massive problem — being away from the house he’s so deeply fallen in love with whereas at Chapel Hill.
“Will probably be exhausting to get used to being away from my household,” he stated.
However there’s no problem Sibomana-Rodriguez can’t rise to.
“That is the form of child who ran the New York Metropolis Marathon for enjoyable in 2021,” laughed Elijah.
“We imagine that God does issues for a cause, and when issues are supposed to be, they’re simply meant to be,” stated Miguel.
“Dunia coming proper to Lengthy Seashore out of anywhere on this nation or the world, it was only a blessing.”
