04/20/24
August 18, 2006
Dikembe Mutombo: will open the door on his life's work Sept. 2 in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, marking the completion of the $29 million Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center. He donated $15 million of his own money and received additional aid from his fellow NBA players, owners, and celebrities such as Jay-Z, Bono, and Bill Gates. The hospital is named after his mother, who died nine years ago of a stroke and failed to make it to a nearby hospital due to civil unrest and curfew restrictions.
posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 05:58 PM - 18 comments
Wow this story is truly amazing. It is also amazing that he gave $15 million of his own money, that shows that you truly believe in what you are doing. Great story.
posted by jwillbballin at 06:36 PM on August 18, 2006
Great story, great guy. With all of the assholes in the sports world like Maurice Clarett, its refreshing to hear of an article like this one. It just goes to show you that not all athletes are overpaid and self-centered. This man is giving hope to thousands and thousands of people- countless generations.
posted by Kendall at 08:25 PM on August 18, 2006
Mutombo's donation = $15 million of his own money; NBA owners' donation = $700,000. Really says all you need to know about NBA owners, doesn't it? Hell of a story, Ufez, and a nice counterbalance to all the dumbasses we've been hearing about lately.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 08:51 PM on August 18, 2006
Really touching story. Hope it does help some in a country that can use all the help it can get.
posted by kidrayter2005 at 09:09 PM on August 18, 2006
It's too bad that the media will focus more on negative stories like that of Maurice Clarett and not of one of this magnitude. It's because we love to see and hear negatives and not positives. Good Job Dikembe Mutombo! You will get all that back. What goes around, comes around.
posted by SALT at 09:53 PM on August 18, 2006
It's too bad that the media will focus more on negative stories like that of Maurice Clarett and not of one of this magnitude. The media? Everytime an athlete does something wrong, criminal or steroids, I promise you it'll be posted on sportsfilter. I also promise you those threads receive the most comments by far, members you never see in any other thread can't wait to comment. It's not only the media that focuses on the negative.
posted by justgary at 10:57 PM on August 18, 2006
It's too bad that the media will focus more on negative stories So true. In fact, this is the first that ive heard of this story thanks Ufez.
posted by lakerfan2thend at 12:28 AM on August 19, 2006
A very sad story, it is too bad that a rich athlete's mother had to die in that area before there was a hospital built that was closer. At least when it did happen, it happened to the right athlete. Well done Dikembe Mutombo. Thank god there are people like you in this world. Ufez, you're on a roll keep it up. This is going to be some sort of record here. Most fpp's without a negative article in the lot.
posted by jojomfd1 at 12:45 AM on August 19, 2006
It's too bad that the media will focus more on negative stories You know what? We are the media too. If someone posted a story about how this project is progressing (or Manute Bol's work in the Sudan, or any of the other thousands of stories of people who happen to make a living in athletics going out and doing good deeds) every time someone posts a BALCO story or a if-it-bleeds-it-leads story to the front page, I'd be okay with that.
posted by chicobangs at 12:51 AM on August 19, 2006
What justgary and chico said. Look in the mirror, y'all!
posted by lil_brown_bat at 06:38 AM on August 19, 2006
The media? Everytime an athlete does something wrong, criminal or steroids, I promise you it'll be posted on sportsfilter. I also promise you those threads receive the most comments by far, members you never see in any other thread can't wait to comment. It's not only the media that focuses on the negative Gary we haven't agreed much in the past, but you have hit the nail on the head here. As a matter of fact, this thread falls just before the M. Jones/steroid thread. To say the media focus's on the negative is a given, but I tend to find out about most of the negative press about "pro athlete does bad" from spofi links. Ufez is in fact on a roll with the threads he has been posting and it is a welcomed balance to the threads we are use to seeing. Now if just 1 or 2 more of us would begin posting similar threads, spofi would have less room for the "pro athlete caught doing 56mph in a 55mph zone" thread. There would also be le$$ member$ that almo$t $eem to celebrate upon the hearing of bad new$ abou-T$port-$ figure$ in general.
posted by Bishop at 07:52 AM on August 19, 2006
'fez, wonderful post! You really know how to make a girl cry! So nice to read about the good things an athelete does. I will be calling that number to sign up. Dikembe Mutombo has brought light to a place where there is so much darkness.
posted by steelergirl at 11:48 AM on August 19, 2006
Mr Mutombo you sir are a calss act, I'm beyond impressed and keep up the good work. As for the owners and their 700k (Don Sterling put up nothing) fuck off you greedy bastard and get sick soon!!!
posted by Big Dookie at 12:26 PM on August 19, 2006
This is a wholly positive story, thanks Ufez. I think the owners giving $700,000 is pretty commendable. They made donations and the drum beating about the donation they did make is an attempt to sensationalize the story. An attempt to add controversy. The players donations, matched by the NBAPA, were signifigantly less, why not up in arms over that? NBA players are among the most community involved players of any of the major league sports and if the owners were to match the donations made by every player as some of you would have it, regardless of how worthy the cause, they'd hardly be regarded as businessmen. You can donate at 1-877-Fund-DMF, 1-877-386-3363, or www.DMF.org. Good on Dikembe.
posted by geekyguy at 07:25 PM on August 19, 2006
It's not only the media that focuses on the negative. I tend to agree with this sentiment, however, the media also drives audience attention in predictable ways. Evidence: Jon Benet Ramsey or whatever. Who really wants to hear about that? There is market demand for it, to be sure, but that doesn't mean a whole lot - stories are often fabricated ex nihilo. Evidence: Bush national guard documents on CBS (only thing that comes to mind at the moment)
posted by insomnyuk at 08:11 PM on August 19, 2006
I work in international development. You only ever hear about the good work that goes on when there is either a war or natural disaster. The rest of the time, a whole lot of people like Dikembe just get on with doing it. The fact that he is famous and has also done a great thing should draw attention and get us thinking about how we can all make a difference. Ignore the mainstream media. Find out for yourself.
posted by owlhouse at 10:01 PM on August 19, 2006
I was so thrilled when Deke was playing in Philadelphia, he was such a class act. He is an amazing athlete, but more importantly, he is a fantastic human being. Man, if even half of the players in the NBA could have as big a heart as him...
posted by rosey8810 at 02:39 PM on August 22, 2006
Second great link at SpoFi today. Thank you for sharing that.