Anthony Echemendía, a Cuban wrestler competing for the University of Nebraska, shared a story on his social media that has touched thousands of followers. The young man recounted how an American couple took him in when he was wandering homeless, without money and unsure of what would become of his life.
In an emotional video posted on his Instagram account @un_luchador_cubano_en_nebraska, Echemendía introduces Scott and Kathy as his "American parents," the individuals who changed the course of his life when he needed it the most.
"When I met Scott, my people, I was living on the streets, homeless, and I didn’t know what was going to happen with my life. I had nowhere to stay; I was wandering," confessed the athlete from Cabaiguán, a municipality in the province of Sancti Spíritus, Cuba.
What makes the story even more endearing is how the young man describes the first meeting. Kathy told her husband that Echemendía and a friend accompanying him—nicknamed "Lachi"—could only stay at their house for a week.
"And who tells you that a week turned into a year and a half? I say that Kathy and Scott were angels that God placed in Lachi's and my path," the fighter recounted.
In the video, filmed while Scott helps him place a bicycle on the roof of the car, Echemendía emphasizes the simplicity and generosity of this American couple from whom he claims to learn a lot. "He is my American father," he proudly says.
The young man took the opportunity to send a message to those who believe that success is achieved alone: "Don't think that you don't need anyone to achieve your goals. God created us to help each other." He was even more direct: "If it weren't for many of those people, I would be anywhere else in the United States, but not studying at university."
Echemendía arrived in the United States in 2018, at the age of 18, after leaving the Cuban delegation for Greco-Roman wrestling during a training period in Guatemala and crossing several countries until seeking political asylum at the U.S. border.
His story is part of a tradition of Cuban wrestlers who have built new lives in that country after leaving the island, such as Alexis Rodríguez and Luis Ibáñez.
On his social media, the athlete alternates posts about his life in Nebraska with images from his trips to Cuba to visit his biological family.
Upon celebrating 10,000 followers on Instagram, Echemendía explained why he decided to create content in Spanish after years of doing so in English.
"One cannot lose their essence, one cannot lose their roots, and we must never forget who we truly are."
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