Like most great ideas, our inspiration for Athlete’s Bridge was born out of a personal experience. Here is ours.
Ring Ayuel came in to our family in 2010. A South Sudanese refugee, he played basketball for my husband at Ohlone College, a Community College located in Silicon Valley. His story is one of survival and perseverance, and you can read about it here and here.
He was never a great basketball player, but he was never given the chance. We brought him in to our home, with our children, one of whom was in the 2nd grade and the other in kindergarten. Ring was so far behind academically that he was working on the same level as our kids, and they would all do homework together. Ring opened their eyes at a young age about real life struggles and experiences: things we could never convey because we never lived through them ourselves. He helped teach our children about humility, grace, appreciation, struggle and survival…subjects that aren’t covered in a traditional education.
We told ourselves that if we were ever in a position to give back and help others through sport, we would do it. Now is that time. And Ring is our inspiration.
Susan Peterson, Executive Director and Founder