The story of overcoming Hansel Emmanuel, a one-armed basketball phenomenon

Hansel Emmanuel Donatus he is 18 years old. When she was only six, a wall fell on top of her when she was trying to climb a wall in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Santo Domingo. After being trapped for two hours, they managed to rescue him but he lost an arm. It cost him to get over it. I didn’t want to do anything. I couldn’t tie my shoelaces, I couldn’t drink a glass of water, the young man explained years later.

Nonetheless, Hansel He does not stop trying to fulfill his dream: to be a basketball player. He did not stop practicing and exposing his talent on Youtube. Videos of him have garnered millions of views. So many that next season he will play in the American college league at Northwestern. His father, in charge of instilling in him his passion for basketball, had some reluctance when it came to his son dedicating himself to the sport. I didn’t want him to play because of the blows he might take, he confessed.

At 1.96 centimeters, he plays as a small forward. Two years ago he was recruited by Life Christian Academy in Florida, where he put up some amazing numbers: 26 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists per game. In addition, he won several dunk contests, something that was not lost on scouts. And neither for the great stars of this sport in the United States. In fact, Kyrie Irving went to see him at a game and Shaquille O’Neal did not hesitate to convey his admiration for him: I wish people understood how different Hansel Emmanuel is. He outplayed some of them best high school players with one arm. His intention is to become the first player in NBA history with only one arm.