NIGERIA - Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist Daniel Igali was stabbed in the back three times by burglers in his home in the city of Yenagoa.
Igali said in a telephone interview Wednesday night that he was set upon in his home by four robbers in the city of Yenagoa. They stabbed him three times in the back and made off with cash, laptops and phones.
''I think they stabbed me because they wanted me to give them everything,'' Igali said. ''It was a bad experience.
''I don't have any respect for people from the underworld who would come into your house and taken everything you've collected over the years.'' Story from Canada.com
It is unbelievable that this could happen to Daniel Igali of all people. Mr. Igali is a trully incredible individual, who has perservered through an impoverished childhood, a complete lack of facilities in his hometown of Eniwari, and yet has achieved his goal of becoming an elite wrestler - achieving the highest Olympic Honour. In his spare time, he has founded a school for children in Eniwari, begun studies for a Masters degree in Crimonology at Simon Fraser University, has run for political office in BC, and continues to attract huge audiences as a motivational speaker.
"Daniel is the President of the Igali Foundation Inc., a Not-For-Profit foundation that caters to the needs of underprivileged children all over the world. Daniel spends a considerable amount of time on the "Keep Sweating Tour", where he speaks to school kids, different groups and corporations about the benefits of healthy living, making right choices, and of being good neighbors to each other."
What is so impressive about Mr. Igali is that after have achieved greatness, he has not forgotten his roots, nor rejected his capacity to give back to communities which are in such dire need of investment in basic infrastructure - such as schools and hospitals.
On the subject of charity, volunteerism and philanthropy, it is an unfortunate truism that 80% of these contributions are made by 20% of the population. In a world where "being famous" eclipses the concept of living a life of 'meaning,' Igali is an inspiration.
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