Olympics - An Inspiration in Focus and Will

FOCUS AND DETERMINATION WIN GOLD MEDAL

DESPITE POVERTY AND CONSTANT CHANGE

Henry Cejudo stunned viewers when he became the youngest American to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling. Winning an Olympics so soon, with so little world-level experience, almost never happens.Cejudo was 31st in last year's world championships, his only prior tournament at this level.  But it's his story that makes the gold even shinier.

"I always knew I was going to be here," Cejudo said,  "I watched the Olympics as a kid and I knew I'd be here.

It was tough. His parents were undocumented Mexicans who met in Los Angeles. His mother had six kids, four with his father, Jorge, who was in and out of prison until dying of heart problems at age 44 last year. Henry never saw him after age 4.

The family was miserably poor, sometimes moving from apartment to apartment under the cover of night because they lacked rent money. His mom worked several jobs at a time, stealing home for a few hours to make sure her family wasn't in trouble. Sometimes they stayed with friends, sometimes with relatives, sleeping six or seven to a room in bad neighborhoods, drug deals going on down the street. Always, though, someone was there to offer a helping hand. (He had never slept in a bed alone until his arrival in Bejing)

"I'm proud of my Mexican heritage," Cejudo said. "But I'm an American. It's the best country in the world. They call it the land of opportunity, and it is. Maybe if some other kid watches this, he can do the same."  

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Louise comment: NO ROOM FOR EXCUSES!!!! Keep marching on!