https://www.technicianonline.com/sports/against-all-odds-vusumzi-plamana-s-story-of-overcoming-tragedy/article_bcee6f02-7aef-11ef-b868-0f413b1be69d.html
"In that moment, the emotions took over," Plamana said. "It was a game-winner essentially, and then the only thing I could think of was just family and go over and celebrate and give them a hug."
It was so important for Plamana to celebrate with Erik and Melissa first because of their impact on him two years after his life changed forever.
When Plamana was nine years old, his mother and father died within a month of each other.
Plamana's mother died of a heart attack, something Plamana believes was caused by the stress of his father being in and out of the hospital to treat diabetes.
"I think that took a toll on my mom," Plamana said. "She was stressed and she happened to have a heart attack."
A few weeks after his mom died, Plamana and his half-brother were getting ready for school when his half-brother was called into another room. He didn't hear the conversation, but when Plamana, his little brother and half-brother were walking to school later that morning, Plamana could tell something was off.
Plamana said while his half-brother was initially told not to say what happened, he gave in and told them that their father died of complications with his diabetes.
"God was kind of like, 'Hey, this is the pathway that I've laid out for you,'" Plamana said. "Because it's one of the things, when I look back, I'm like, 'Wow, how did I end up at the ACC?' Because if you look at my story and my life, it's like, 'No that's not supposed to happen.' You don't go from what this boy is going through to playing in the ACC and being able to get a degree in America coming from a country in Africa."
https://www.technicianonline.com/sports/against-all-odds-vusumzi-plamana-s-story-of-overcoming-tragedy/article_bcee6f02-7aef-11ef-b868-0f413b1be69d.html
"In that moment, the emotions took over," Plamana said. "It was a game-winner essentially, and then the only thing I could think of was just family and go over and celebrate and give them a hug."
It was so important for Plamana to celebrate with Erik and Melissa first because of their impact on him two years after his life changed forever.
When Plamana was nine years old, his mother and father died within a month of each other.
Plamana's mother died of a heart attack, something Plamana believes was caused by the stress of his father being in and out of the hospital to treat diabetes.
"I think that took a toll on my mom," Plamana said. "She was stressed and she happened to have a heart attack."
A few weeks after his mom died, Plamana and his half-brother were getting ready for school when his half-brother was called into another room. He didn't hear the conversation, but when Plamana, his little brother and half-brother were walking to school later that morning, Plamana could tell something was off.
Plamana said while his half-brother was initially told not to say what happened, he gave in and told them that their father died of complications with his diabetes.
"God was kind of like, 'Hey, this is the pathway that I've laid out for you,'" Plamana said. "Because it's one of the things, when I look back, I'm like, 'Wow, how did I end up at the ACC?' Because if you look at my story and my life, it's like, 'No that's not supposed to happen.' You don't go from what this boy is going through to playing in the ACC and being able to get a degree in America coming from a country in Africa."
https://www.technicianonline.com/sports/against-all-odds-vusumzi-plamana-s-story-of-overcoming-tragedy/article_bcee6f02-7aef-11ef-b868-0f413b1be69d.html